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znModeratorHe was decent in Green Bay and had a great catch in the playoffs for them.
Perhaps Jeff Fisher’s practices sucked and his leadership lacked player discipline and accountability.
Looking just at catch percentage, Cook has only 3 years below 60%. 2014 and 2015 with the Rams, and 2016 with Green Bay. Other years with Fisher he is fine.
2014 and 2015 meant 27 games with Shaun Hill, Austin Davis, and Nick Foles (and his annual bad game meltdown fests).
So just in terms of catch percentage, he is better from 2009-2013 under Fisher than he was in 2016 in Green Bay.
This is the one year where he jumped above 60%.
So it’s 6 years in the 60% range, including 5 under Fisher and 1 in Oakland.
It’s 3 years under 60%, including one in Green Bay.
It’s one year, 2018, above 60% (so far).
….
October 5, 2018 at 11:34 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91935znModeratorLindsey Thiry@LindseyThiry
The Rams targeted Week 5 for ILB Mark Barron’s return. It likely will be a game-time decision whether he feels well enough to play.October 5, 2018 at 10:34 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91934znModeratorRams’ 3 biggest causes for concern vs. Seahawks
Cameron DaSilva
Rams' 3 biggest causes for concern vs. Seahawks
Game Preview: Rams Head to Seattle for First Divisional Road Test
https://www.therams.com/news/game-preview-rams-head-to-seattle-for-first-divisional-road-test
Peters Looking Forward to Challenge of Defending Wilson
https://www.therams.com/news/peters-looking-forward-to-challenge-of-defending-wilson
Injury Report 10/5: Barron Listed as Questionable for Sunday, Natson Expected to Play
Quotes & Notes 10/5/18: Mark Barron Expected to Return in Seattle
https://www.therams.com/news/quotes-notes-10-5-18-mark-barron-cleared-to-return-in-seattle%5B
znModeratorAfter slow start Donald, Suh & Co. turning up the pressure on QBs
Lindsey Thiry
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Aaron Donald felt frustrated, but was hardly concerned.
Sacks, the Los Angeles Rams star defensive tackle said, come in bunches.
Aaron Donald and the Rams got 17 pressures on Kirk Cousins. Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
But through three weeks, Donald, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, had yet to take down a quarterback.“I ain’t worried,” Donald said. And he shouldn’t have been.
Days later, Donald and the Rams’ defensive line let loose in a Week 4 victory over the Minnesota Vikings (1-2-1). They had 17 pressures, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, and sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins four times.
“It’s huge,” Rams coach Sean McVay said after the win. “And I think really just the pass rush in general. To be able to get there, to be able to affect and influence the quarterback is something we always talk about.”
The Rams will face dual-threat quarterback Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks (2-2) on Sunday at CenturyLink Field. The mobile Wilson presents a unique challenge in comparison to the other quarterbacks the Rams have faced, but he also has struggled to stay upright this season and has been sacked 16 times.
“We’re going to see a very athletic quarterback that likes to move out of the pocket and wants to throw the ball as well as make plays with his feet,” Ndamukong Suh said. “It’s going to be a big challenge.”
The Rams’ line was considered among the elite, if not the best, in the NFL at the start of the season after Suh signed a one-year, $14 million free-agent contract and Donald agreed to a record-breaking six-year, $135 million extension.
Through three weeks, opponent strategy confirmed that Donald, Suh and former first-round pick Michael Brockers were a feared group, even if the Rams’ stat sheet did not.
Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford hurried to get the ball off in Weeks 1 and 2, as the Rams’ defense put together six consecutive quarters of shutout football and recorded six pressures against Carr and five against Bradford, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
In Week 3, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers held on to the ball slightly longer as the veteran waited for plays to develop downfield. Suh recorded his first sack, as the line pressured Rivers nine times.
But through three weeks, the defense had only four sacks between Brockers, Suh, lineman Ethan Westbrooks and outside linebacker Samson Ebukam.
Frustration built, though the group remained adamant that they would eventually make it to the quarterback.
Last Thursday, that happened to be Cousins, as he was forced to hold onto the ball with the Vikings trailing late in the game. The defensive line took advantage. Their 17 pressures were a season-best for the group.
“We’re definitely heading in the right direction but we definitely have room for improvement,” Donald said. “We just have to keep getting better and stay hungry, and the sky is the limit.”
All four of the Rams’ sacks against the Vikings came in the fourth quarter. The first, when Donald slipped passed left guard Tom Compton to take down Cousins for a 10-yard loss.
The next series, Suh sacked Cousins for an 8-yard loss.
“We’re getting opportunities,” Suh said. “They were in a position where they had to hold the ball and put it down field, so it was up to us to make sure we got off the field and we found ways to do it.”
On the ensuing series, Donald went by Compton again, and this time threw Cousins to the ground for an 8-yard loss, as Donald stood tall, flexed and pointed to his bicep. And the exclamation point came when rookie John Franklin-Myers, a fourth-round pick from Stephen F. Austin, knocked the ball free from Cousins (The play was recorded as a sack) and Suh recovered. The Rams then ran out the clock to improve to 4-0 on the season.
“It felt good, definitely when you get them in the fourth quarter when we need them,” Donald said. “We left some on the field for sure. We should have had more, but as long as we’re getting them down, we’re going to just keep getting better with time and keep playing with each other.”
znModeratorRichard Sherman is correct pic.twitter.com/jSvbJ2Mj9B
— Sam HawkBadger (@hwkbgr) October 5, 2018
znModerator—
Packed edition of @RamsNFL All-Access with @DMarcoFarr1 on @ESPNLosAngeles.
-Is this the week the #LARams come back to Earth?
-What impact could LB Mark Barron make?
-Interview with @J_FranklinMyers
-Is is better or worse than it looks for the Seahawks?https://t.co/D4QrbFU8GE— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) October 4, 2018
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Field Gulls@FieldGulls
Only 8 times in history has a RB caught 90 or more passes. This season, Alvin Kamara is on pace for 140, Christian McCaffrey for 117, Saquon Barkley for 109, James White for 102, Melvin Gordon for 96, Nyheim Hines for 92. We should stop calling them running backs.==
Rams injury report for the day pic.twitter.com/YQ1SL47Q40
— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) October 4, 2018
==
October 5, 2018 at 7:10 pm in reply to: Pro Football Focus breaks down the Rams & other PFF Videos & bits #91924znModeratorfrom Ranking all 32 wide receiving corps in the NFL through Week 4
WIDE RECEIVER RANKING, WEEK 4: 1st
It should come as no surprise that the best team in the league with the best offense in the league also has the best wide receiver corps in the league through the opening month. Robert Woods (84.2) and Brandin Cooks (82.3) both have top-10 receiving grades, while Cooper Kupp (79.1) isn’t far behind at 20th. No team can match the 29 explosive plays generated by Rams’ wideouts on the year, a league-leading 14 of which have come from Cooks.
October 5, 2018 at 6:55 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91923znModeratorSeahawks-Rams: The Friday Rundown, Week 5
Previewing Sunday’s game by identifying the matchups to watch, stats to consider and a primer on the Rams’ offense and defenseA week after climbing to .500 on a last-second field goal, the Seattle Seahawks will return home to take on the buzz saw known as the 2018 L.A. Rams.
The 4-0 Rams have lived up to the hype their offseason acquisitions brought with them. Jared Goff, in his second season under Sean McVay, is playing like an MVP, while the entire offense is doing enough to make up for the injuries in the secondary and deficiencies at linebacker.
On McVay’s first visit to CenturyLink Field, the Rams dominated a shell-shocked Seahawks team 42-7. Now, McVay’s second trip to Seattle will see an improved L.A. roster take on a worse Seahawks team.
Offensive and Defensive Primers
Simply put, Sean McVay has broken football. The Rams have run 11 personnel (1 RB-1 TE-1 WR) on 97% of offensive snaps this season. That is up from an already-ridiculous 81% last season. However, out of the same personnel grouping, L.A. can give a defense so many different looks they remain frighteningly unpredictable. Cooper Kupp is used as a pseudo H-back, and combined with their use of motion, sweeps and orbits, McVay finds mismatches whenever he wants. If that doesn’t work, their plethora of rub routes and flood concepts will. They are an impossible task for almost any defense.
McVay’s offense is so difficult to defend because they’re able to stretch defenses vertically just as easily as they can stretch them horizontally. Those two concepts are often used in the same play, using Brandin Cooks to force the deep safety downfield, before gashing a defense in the vacated space underneath. Pete Carroll loves to talk about defending every blade of grass, and that takes on another, very literal, meaning against McVay’s offense.
In the running game, the Rams run a zone blocking system, meshing McVay’s background in Mike and Kyle Shanahan’s offense with Todd Gurley’s skill set. Gurley possesses elite vision to make the right read, he runs with the physicality necessary to reach the second level and once he’s there, his sprinter speed makes him a threat to break any run.
McVay has rightfully received praise for the way he turned around an awful franchise and made the league’s worst offense into the league’s best. But the decision to hire the legendary Wade Phillips and simply get out of the way, allowing one of the best defensive coaches ever to coach, was terrific.
Phillips’ genius comes in his flexibility and happiness to mold his scheme to the players, a simple idea that far too many coaches are too stubborn to follow. In Phillips’ defense, he has his three down linemen buck convention by one-gapping, rather than two-gapping. This allows Aaron Donald and co. to knife through gaps and penetrate into the backfield as often as they do.
On the back end, Phillips depends on single-high coverage as often as any coordinator in the NFL. Lamarcus Joyner has gone from asking Jeff Fisher to send him home to being one of the most valuable free safeties in the league. Joyner’s play over the top frees up John Johnson to make plays all over the field, and generally be an absolute joy to watch.
Numbers that Matter
99: There are so many stats to define Donald’s dominance against Seattle, it’s tough to choose just one. So I won’t. But Los Angeles’ No. 99 has made a habit out of destroying the Seahawks’ offensive line, and in turn its game-plan.
In just eight games against Seattle, Donald has put together video game numbers: 59 pressures, seven sacks, 18 hits and 34 hurries. Additionally, per Pro Football Focus, Donald has won on over a quarter of his pass rush snaps against the Seahawks.
Regardless of the coaching staff, the stadium, or the city, Donald is going to produce against Seattle.
41: The Rams’ defensive front is more than just the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The addition of Ndamukong Suh meant one of the best two-dimensional defensive tackles in the league was joining the league’s best player. Those two, as well as Michael Brockers, have made their shallow EDGE group an afterthought.
Despite L.A.’s two starting outside linebackers, Matt Longacre and Samson Ebukam, combining for a grand total of 8.5 career sacks, the Rams lead the league in pressure rate. Through four games, L.A. has created pressure on 41% of the dropbacks they’ve faced.
In preparation for this, the Seahawks are going back to a strategy they used successfully in the NFC Championship game in 2013, and really should have deployed against the Chicago Bears earlier this season.
After the 49ers ended Seattle’s seven game winning streak in Week 14 of 2013, on the back of a stout defensive effort, the Seahawks were proactive in the January rematch. They contained the fearsome duo of Aldon Smith and Justin Smith—and ran the ball wonderfully well—by using a sixth offensive linemen on over a quarter of the offensive snaps.
It sounds as though Seattle will take a similarly proactive approach on Sunday, not allowing the Rams’ defensive front to takeover the game as they have done all too often previously against the Seahawks. In Russell Wilson’s press conference on Thursday, he mentioned George Fant would be playing a big role on Sunday. Fant will give Seattle another blocker up front, as they try to slow down what L.A. does best on defense.
12: Something that’s been bubbling under the surface for the 2018 Seahawks finally rose into the mainstream this week: Russell Wilson’s excellence on play-action, and Brian Schottenheimer’s refusal to lean into it.
Wilson is the highest rated passer off play-action in the league, at either 149.2 or 154.2, depending where you look. In 2018, 83% of Wilson’s passes have come from 11 personnel. With play-action out of 11, Wilson throws for 9.6 yards per attempt; without play-action, that number drops to 5.5. Despite the obvious improvement in Wilson’s passing numbers with play-action, Seattle has used it on just 12% of their passes in 2018. Even worse, that number has actually gotten lower over the past two weeks.
Schottenheimer’s refusal to lean into play-action, and the way they’ve moved away from the vertical passing game—Wilson has attempted just 13 deep passes this season—has to change if the Seahawks offense is going to turn it around over the next 12 games.
Matchups to Watch
Justin Coleman versus Cooper Kupp: Coleman, a surprising contributor a year ago, entered 2018 as one of Seattle’s best players on defense. He then backed that notion up with two strong games out of the gate that saw him take on Emmanuel Sanders and Allen Robinson for extended periods.
In Week 4, Coleman came up with three massive, game-shifting plays. Week 5 will see Coleman get his toughest assignment of the season: A four quarter showdown against Cooper Kupp.
In Kupp’s rookie season, he was one of the best inside receivers in the NFL, finishing 3rd in DYAR and 9th in DVOA out of the slot. In 2018, Kupp’s rise has coincided with the Rams’ step toward becoming a juggernaut. Through four games, Kupp’s averaging 14.5 yards per catch on 24 receptions, with four touchdowns; 279 of Kupp’s 348 yards on the season have come out of the slot.
The challenge in covering Kupp doesn’t come in sticking with him in coverage, though he is an exceptional receiver. The challenge is in everything that happens before Kupp’s release. McVay is going to bring Coleman into traffic and force him to sort through the trash, with Kupp aligning as an H-back or coming across the formation before getting into his route.
Coleman, one of the league’s best slot corners, should be up to the challenge.
October 5, 2018 at 6:42 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91922znModeratorSeahawks on tape: Third down failure is play-calling shame https://t.co/MkvR4GO6yp via @FieldGulls
— Field Gulls (@FieldGulls) October 5, 2018
October 5, 2018 at 6:41 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91921znModeratorfrom Geoff Schwartz’s best bets for Week 5 of the NFL season
Geoff Schwartz
Rams at Seahawks +7
The Rams are the most unstoppable team in the league right now. We know that; they know that. The Rams are going to win in Seattle, but I can’t pass up getting a home team with a touchdown to spare when it’s in one of the toughest places for teams to play. There will also be a revenge factor with the Rams winning in Seattle last season 42-0. Call me crazy, but I think the Seahawks keep this close.
znModeratorPFF LA Rams@PFF_Rams
The level of play by Aaron Donald has somehow continued to elevate to ridiculous standards year after year==
The Rams pass-rushing duo have delivered so far this season. pic.twitter.com/Pm3cmO0omj
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 5, 2018
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October 5, 2018 at 6:12 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91918znModeratorRussell Wilson will be facing one of the best defenses in the NFL this week with two elite interior defensive linemen in Ndamukong Suh and Donald. Fortunately, Wilson has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league at extending the play
Whoever wrote that has apparently never watched a Rams/Seattle game.
…
October 5, 2018 at 6:06 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91917znModeratorfrom PFF PREVIEW: NFL Week 5 FOX Los Angeles Rams @Seattle Seahawks Preview
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-nfl-week-5-fox-los-angeles-rams-seattle-seahawks-preview
GOFF IS PLAYING AT AN ELITE LEVEL
Jared Goff has been brilliant through the first four weeks of the season. His passer rating in most situations far exceed that of the NFL average, and that ability was put on full display last week. If Goff continues this stretch of elite play, the Seahawks are going to have a hard time stopping this offense.
GURLEY CAN DO A LOT MORE THAN JUST RUN THE FOOTBALL
Todd Gurley is everything as advertised. After a dominant 2017 campaign, the running back picked up right where he left off. His playmaking ability for this offense has proven to be invaluable as he has honed in on his skills as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, allowing him to help open up this Rams offense.
AARON DONALD IS STILL AARON DONALD
Aaron Donald has continued his dominance in the NFL. With an overall rating of 93.6 this season, it is no wonder why this Rams’ defense has been one of the best in the league. This week against the Seahawks, expect Donald to impact the game in a big way as he squares off against the shaky Seattle offensive line.
LOSS OF TALIB HURTS RAMS’ DEFENSE
While the Rams possess an extremely talented defense, one area where they may have a sizeable drop-off in play is at the cornerback position. Losing a top corner in Aqib Talib would hurt any team, and it will be something that the Seahawks will be looking to expose this Sunday.
WILSON CAN PLAY UNDER PRESSURE WITH THE BEST OF THEM
Russell Wilson will be facing one of the best defenses in the NFL this week with two elite interior defensive linemen in Ndamukong Suh and Donald. Fortunately, Wilson has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league at extending the play, and with an offensive line that is well below average, the Seahawks will be depending on this ability to open up big plays down the field.
RETURN OF BALDWIN IS KEY FOR SEATTLE OFFENSE
Last week was Doug Baldwin‘s first week back from the injury he suffered in Week 1. It has been clear that Wilson has been missing his number one target. Baldwin’s versatility has proven to be a staple of this offense, as he has shown to not only be a threat on the outside but in the slot as well, as he accumulated 703 of his total receiving yards from the slot last season.
October 5, 2018 at 5:48 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91916znModeratorPerfect Rams look to continue early run facing Seahawks https://t.co/GOJZauNuGE
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) October 5, 2018
October 5, 2018 at 5:47 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91915znModeratorDonald, Rams' D-line want to keep up the pressure on Wilson https://t.co/XZmLMV7A0k
— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) October 5, 2018
October 5, 2018 at 5:45 pm in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91914znModeratorFive things to watch: Rams vs. Seahawks
The Athletic Staff
https://theathletic.com/569122/2018/10/05/five-things-to-watch-rams-vs-seahawks/
Most observers expect the Rams to leave Seattle the way they came: undefeated and atop the NFL. In fact, Los Angeles is Sunday’s best bet in the eyes of bookmakers, entering the NFC West matchup as a touchdown favorite.
That’s understandable. The last time these teams met (in Seattle in Week 15 last year), the Rams raced out to a double-digit first-quarter lead, then entered halftime up 34-0. By the time the Seahawks scored their first (and only) touchdown late in the third quarter, the outcome was a foregone conclusion, and the 42-7 beatdown delivered what would prove to be a fatal blow to Seattle’s playoff chances.
But Rams/Seahawks matchups haven’t made sense in recent years. Jeff Fisher’s aggressively mediocre L.A./St. Louis teams took four of six against Seattle from 2014-16, when Pete Carroll’s Seahawks squads were Super Bowl contenders. So perhaps now that the roles are reversed, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Co. can make things difficult for Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters and OH MY GOD THAT’S A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PLAYERS.
Or maybe things will go as expected, and the star-studded Rams (4-0) will dispatch the diminished Seahawks (2-2) with relative ease. The Athletic’s Vincent Bonsignore (Rams) and Michael-Shawn Dugar (Seahawks) discuss five items of interest heading into Sunday’s divisional tilt (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX).
We’ll start with a hypothetical: If you could take one player from the opposing team’s roster and add him to the team you cover, who would make the biggest impact?
Vincent Bonsignore: Bobby Wagner would be a perfect addition to the Rams defense and would fit snugly in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 as a thumping ILB able to make plays sideline to sideline against the run and in pass coverage. With Mark Barron not physically fit to play the first four weeks of the season while dealing with a nagging Achilles injury (he’s likely to give it a go this week) a player like Wagner would provide an immediate upgrade and stability at an important position.
Michael-Shawn Dugar: Oh, this is fun. It’d be even more fun if we were able to select one player on each side of the ball. Because, I mean, what team couldn’t use Aaron Donald, right?
I’ll go with a different player, though: Brandin Cooks. Russell Wilson is a deep-ball maestro who currently has the pleasure of chucking it to a speedster like Tyler Lockett. Now imagine he was chucking those passes to Cooks, who is like Lockett but with the addition of Michael’s Secret Stuff from “Space Jam.” Wilson and Cooks would have the NFC West looking like a Big 12 offense.
What chance does Seattle’s Earl Thomas-less secondary have of slowing down LA’s receiving trio of Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp?
VB: None. Take away one, and the other two kill you. And eventually all three will get you. Add given the fact Jared Goff sees the field so well, it’s really just a matter of time before they break you.
MSD: The Cooks-Woods-Kupp trio feels a little bit like the three-headed dog from the movie “Hercules.” I think Hercules ends up taming the monster later in the film, but Earl Thomas is the Hercules of Seattle’s defense and he’s not conquering anything with a broken leg.
I guess that’s a long-winded way of saying the chances of Seattle slowing that group is slim. For what it’s worth, I think Seattle matches up well from a one-on-one standpoint. If anyone can run with Cooks, it’s Shaquill Griffin; if I had to pick a slot guy to guard Kupp, it’d be Justin Coleman; Woods definitely has the advantage over rookie Tre Flowers, though. Regardless, the Rams are so good about scheming their guys open that this game will be about more than simply beating the guy across from you.
Aaron Donald has more sacks against the Seahawks than any other team (seven in eight career games), but only has two on the season so far. Do you expect Seattle’s improved pass protection to hold up in front of Russell Wilson?
VB: Prior to the fourth quarter on Thursday I would have said probably. But the Rams found something against the Vikings and registered four sacks in the fourth quarter. I think there will be a carryover effect.
MSD: There’s really no “holding up” against Donald. You just need to block him as best you can for as long as you can, and hope that he doesn’t eat your quarterback alive. I think what the fourth quarter of that Vikings game showed us is that you can do a good job on Donald for a while, and still he’s capable of pummeling the passer. Seattle’s offensive line is steadily improving, but I haven’t seen enough from the interior linemen to convince me they can stop Donald.
Seattle rushed for a season-high 171 yards last week at Arizona, while LA held the Vikings to just 54 yards on the ground last (while giving up almost 400 passing yards). Can the Seahawks establish the run?
VB: The issue isn’t whether they can physically do it as much as, can their defense keep the Rams offense in check in order for it to be a prudent course of action? If they Rams get out in front early, the Seahawks’ run game becomes moot.
MSD: Yeah, Vincent makes a good point here. Seattle has only proven to be able to run the ball when it’s in a close game or while playing with a lead. We’ve seen that Pete Carroll will abandon the run if he feels the need to score in a hurry.
The Rams are the type of team that will you make you feel like you need to score in a hurry. Todd Gurley can legitimately score every time he touches the ball. Cooks can score every time it’s thrown to him. My guess is that if Seattle doesn’t have success in the run game in first quarter, then the team will go away from it and throw the whole game plan into whack.
Last year’s beatdown at CenturyLink Field felt like a changing of the guard in the NFC West. Is there reason to believe Sunday’s game will be any different?
VB: I don’t see it. The Rams are so good it will take a series of breakdowns on their part and the opposition being good enough to capitalize and make them pay. That may happen at some point this season against someone, but I don’t see it happening this week.
MSD: The reason would be that this is a divisional game in the NFL, and anything can happen in a divisional game. The Rams were the much better team last season and the two clubs still split, with each team winning on the road, no less.
But the Seahawks are heavy underdogs, and rightfully so. The Rams have a more talented roster and are playing better football. Even with the Seahawks playing at home, this is an uphill battle. Seattle will need to win an ugly game, not a shootout, and a victory in that scenario would require the home team delivering in the clutch. With so many new faces playing key roles, I’m not sure how capable Seattle is of doing that.znModerator“Best quarterback performance I’ve seen in my seven years in the league in person.”@KirkCousins8 to @JaredGoff16 after Goff’s 465 yards and 5 TD on #TNF @nflnetwork. pic.twitter.com/B9abwAtMCm
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) October 5, 2018
October 5, 2018 at 5:00 am in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91904znModeratorFor old friends Mike Davis and Todd Gurley II, the smack talk has already started before Seahawks play Rams
New starters at free safety, weakside linebacker present challenge for Seahawks against high-flying Rams
Analysis: It hasn’t been pretty when Seahawks have had to play without Earl Thomas
Chris Carson doesn’t practice, but Carroll says Seahawks’ lead back will run vs Rams
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article219464810.html#storylink=rss
Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. knows “special” Todd Gurley, soaring Rams will test Seattle
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article219459785.html#storylink=rss
Seahawks All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner “definitely” has been looking forward to playing Rams, after what L.A. did to Seattle in December
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article219451690.html#storylink=rss
Week 5 Players To Watch: Seahawks vs. Rams (VID)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/nfl/seattle-seahawks/article219443680.html#storylink=rss
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October 5, 2018 at 4:54 am in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91903znModerator“Stop crowning us!” 4-0 Rams shrug off hype, focus on Seahawks
The Los Angeles Rams realize they’re a popular Super Bowl pick after their spectacular first quarter of the season. Pundits, fans and other teams seem to be lining up to praise them.
While they appreciate the respect, this is a profoundly weird experience for any Rams who were around even two years ago for the franchise’s less-than-glorious return to LA after a decade of losing in St. Louis, the Associated Press reports.
This team doesn’t have much experience in being the favorites for anything, and the Rams are wary of the role.
“I hate it,” said Michael Brockers, who has been on the defensive line for seven years.
“I hate looking at ‘SportsCenter’ and they’ve got you at the top of the power rankings,” Brockers added with a smile. “It’s just like, you know, stop crowning us! For me, I’m a humble guy. I don’t want to be crowned. I always want the attitude of being the hungry dog, being the underdog, because you almost seem to be more hungrier when you play like that.”
Nobody with any experience in the Rams’ locker room has forgotten that this franchise is just one year removed from streaks of 13 consecutive losing seasons and 12 consecutive non-playoff seasons. Humility is relatively easy with that struggle still on their minds, according to the players and coaches who went through it.
Jared Goff doesn’t even turn 24 until next Sunday, but he remembers going 0-7 as a rookie starter for the hapless Rams of 2016.
“I don’t think we’re getting any bit caught up in anything,” said Goff, who’s second in the NFL with 1,406 yards passing after his outstanding effort against Minnesota. “I think a lot of people on this team, being part of that team two years ago, understand how easy it is to be on the other side of it, and you don’t ever want to go back there. You understand the work that needs to be put in to stay where you’re at.”
Receiver Robert Woods said it’s “easy” to ignore the attention the Rams (4-0) are getting.
“It’s just buzz,” he said. “It’s just noise. We’ve been on both sides. We’ve been not talked about, and now we’re being talked about, but it’s really just focus. We know how it goes. We had a great year last year and fell short, and I think this year the team is just focused. No outside distractions. Don’t blink. Just focus on one goal.”
Los Angeles was revived last season by coach Sean McVay, going 11-5 and winning the NFC West before losing its playoff opener. This season’s team appeared to be even stronger on paper — and through four games, that’s exactly what it has been.
The Rams lead the NFL with 468.5 yards per game of offense, increasing their total every week. Only five teams have allowed fewer points than the Rams, and their special teams have thrived despite losing two of their four Pro Bowl selections to injury.
The rest of the football world can get excited about the Rams, but McVay reflexively downplays any idea that they’re a Super Bowl favorite.
“I have no doubt that we have the right kind of guys in our locker room that know it’s about earning it every single day,” McVay said. “They are confident, but like we’ve said over and over, there’s a humility that exists.”
znModeratorThe highest graded rookie edge defenders so far this season. pic.twitter.com/00Q8rLtqiD
— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 3, 2018
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Rams discover Ndamukong Suh can line up anywhere and produce up front
Gary Klein
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-rams-suh-20181004-story.html
The pressure comes from all angles and positions along the Rams’ front, be it nose tackle, defensive tackle or end.
Ndamukong Suh is making an impact from all three spots.After he signed a one-year, $14-million contract with the Rams last March, the veteran lineman said he would do whatever he was asked to help the Rams reach the Super Bowl.
Last week against the Minnesota Vikings, Suh lined up at end in the fourth quarter and recorded one of the Rams’ four sacks in the final period of a 38-31 victory. He also mentored end John Franklin-Myers before the rookie end’s game-clinching strip sack, a play Suh finished by falling on the ball.
As the unbeaten Rams prepare for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks in Seattle, they appear to be getting their money’s worth for Suh, who combines with reigning NFL defensive player of the year Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers to give the Rams perhaps the league’s most dynamic starting defensive front.
The Rams have only eight sacks, which ranks 22nd in the NFL, but they are among the league leaders in quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Donald, 27, signed a $135-million extension before the season. Brockers, 27, has a $10.75-million salary-cap number in the second season of a three-year extension he signed in 2016.
And then there is the 31-year-old Suh, who might have received more money elsewhere had he not opted to join the Rams.
Coach Sean McVay said Thursday that Suh has “been a little more” than he expected in terms of versatility.“He’s made plays, really, at all those spots,” McVay said.
Suh is not the only versatile member of a line that has produced 20 hits on quarterbacks.
In 2016, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips shifted tackles Donald and Brockers to various spots depending on the situation. Donald disrupted offenses and recorded 11 sacks. Brockers flourished when moved to the edge and finished with 4½ sacks.
Phillips said he studied all of Suh’s plays last season for the Miami Dolphins. Many were made from the end position.
“But we still had to work with him to make sure he could do those things we saw on film,” Philips said.
Apparently, he can.
“Ndamukong can go over either tackle, either guard or a center, so it gives us some versatility,” Phillips said. “Their [offensive line’s] protections have to change or we get one of those guys or two of those guys one-on-one. That’s what we’re looking for.”
Phillips has coached Hall of Fame players and many outstanding defensive lines during an NFL career that spans more than four decades.
But he said the Suh-Donald-Brockers combination is rare.
“I’ve had some great players but most of them, they played one position,” Phillips said, adding, “It’s not many players that you can move around like our guys.”
Moving together is the key, Suh said.He describes the teamwork between ends and tackles as if it were a dance. The left end and the right tackle work together to push the pocket one way, the right end and left tackle doing the same to push it another.
“It kind of flows when you look at the different pieces of getting pressure,” he said.
Said Donald: “You don’t want two guys going high and one guy’s leaving the middle open. So just communicate and understand how each other rushes, and play off it.”
Suh, the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft, played five seasons with the Detroit Lions and three with the Dolphins. He said he has prided himself on versatility since his rookie season.
“I’ll stand up in a linebacker position if I can,” he said, chuckling.
Franklin-Myers credited Suh for delivering applicable advice just before his big play against the Vikings. The rookie from Stephen F. Austin University rushed off the right edge and swatted the ball from the hand of quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Suh said he offered counsel because he remembers his time as a rookie. First-year players, he said, can get “a one-track mind” because they are so focused on carrying out an assignment. It’s important “every now and then” to understand what an opponent is trying to do, and to take advantage of playing next to players such as Donald and Brockers, he said.
“’You’re going to have opportunities because you’ve got the big money guy next to you and you got Brock there,’” Suh said he told Franklin-Myers. “I’m just another guy just like you.
“ ‘Just go out there and play and find ways to make plays.’
“And that’s what he did.”
The Rams face a big test Sunday against elusive Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Suh said the Rams were up for the challenge.
“We’ve got to tighten up,” he said.
Suh will be there to clamp down.
From every angle.znModerator‘Without those guys, we’re nothing’: How the offensive line keeps the Rams on the cutting edge
Vincent Bonsignore
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — John Sullivan has been hearing the same thing everyone else has heard about the unique way the Los Angeles Rams operate.
The process involves a collaborative effort in game planning and installation to create a deeply connected nature of all 11 players on each side of the ball. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing on any given play — and why — and this broader understanding of individual and collective responsibilities creates a team that functions better with each other and for each other.
“I think we have smart players all over the field and superstar coaches who are able to really teach the system to us,” Sullivan told The Athletic. “All 11 guys understand why we’re trying to do things and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
All of which has been revealed in the way the Rams offense has pummeled opponents while functioning at such a phenomenally efficient and powerful level. It’s no longer a matter of whether another big play is coming. Opposing defenses must brace for that inevitability.
The Rams’ dominance goes all the way down to Sullivan, the Rams’ veteran center, and the rest of the offensive line, which is grading out as well as any in the NFL through the first four weeks of the season. The unit is consistently giving Jared Goff the necessary time to shred teams in the passing game and opening ample holes for Todd Gurley to run through.
Goff has emerged as a superstar in his third year, and Gurley has solidified his role as the best running back in the NFL. Wide receivers Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are trolling fantasy football owners each week by alternating the role of breakout performer.
But none of that happens without Sullivan, Andrew Whitworth, Rob Havenstein, Austin Blythe and Rodger Saffold building impenetrable walls of pass protection and steamrolling defenders in the run game.
“Without those guys, we’re nothing and we know that,” Goff said. “It all starts up front. … They’re incredible.”
The Rams offensive line made a miraculous turnaround from 2016 to 2017, going from the worst in the NFL to a top-10 unit. And by all accounts, the group has elevated its game to an even higher level this year.
According to Pro Football Focus, Whitworth, at left tackle, is grading out as the best tackle in the NFL, and Havenstein, the right tackle, is ranked sixth. Saffold, the left guard, is the second-ranked guard in the league, and Blythe, a first-year starter at right guard, is ranked fourth.
Sullivan, a studious center responsible for making the blocking calls at the line of scrimmage, is ranked 21st at his position.
Collectively, they’re as good as any O-line in the league. They surrender the fewest sacks (five) and the sixth-fewest quarterback hurries (13) and anchor an offense that ranks first in the NFL in yards per game (468.5), second in scoring (35.0 points per game) and passing yards (343.2) and seventh in rushing yards (125.2).
“I think that’s something that we can talk about a little bit more is how well the offensive line is playing right now,” Goff said. “They’re playing the best in the league right now and I don’t think it’s really close.”
Which brings us back to the Rams’ distinct methods under head coach Sean McVay and his staff. Word is starting to get out about their innovative team building and preparation model — from teaching to implementing to communicating to collaborating — and how it all expresses itself each week, if not each play, on the field.
It’s especially apparent along the offensive line, where the unit’s understanding of what is happening around them creates such an instinctive and innate manner of play that it affords them a freedom and confidence to aggressively attack opponents.
The Rams, as everyone seems to be learning, are cutting edge.
“I’ve seen all the quotes,” said Sullivan, nodding his head.
So it’s true, right?
“Maybe,” Sullivan said.
He was trying to suppress a smile. But he wasn’t doing a very good job of it.
“You’ll have to watch the tape,” he added.
His smile grew wider.
“I’m not giving away anything.”
A few feet away, Havenstein opened up about the connected culture the Rams have established under McVay and how it manifests itself along the offensive line.
“I think we do a great job from the top down — coaches to players — in terms of truly understanding what we want to get done as an offense,” Havenstein told The Athletic. “We’re not just running plays to run plays. We have meetings where all 11 (positions) are involved from, let’s say the run game, and it’s like, ‘What do we want to accomplish? How does some other position affect our position which affects another position?’ It’s not just the individual groups. It’s the O-line and receivers. The quarterbacks, the running backs.
“It’s truly us as an offense trying to understand what we want to get done and that goes to the protection as well.”
For example, the offensive line understands Gurley’s role and responsibility on any given play and, just as importantly, his interpretation of a certain defensive look. That helps the offensive line determine blocking assignments, which include Sullivan communicating blocking roles to the wide receivers.
“So you don’t have two guys blocking the same guy and the guy who someone was supposed to (block) is running free to make the play,” Havenstein explained.
That doesn’t just happen. It has to be nurtured and communicated and discussed and dissected. And when it’s done successfully — and in the Rams’ case specifically — something that is actually complicated and difficult unfolds naturally and seamlessly.
“Everyone is on the same page,” Havenstein said. “That starts from Coach McVay, obviously, and it works all the way down to the assistant coaches. Everyone talks, everyone communicates and everyone goes to the leaders of our offense. Jared. Todd. Whitworth. John. Rodger. All those guys.”
The magic that ensues has been breathtaking. Like Gurley feigning to his left upon taking a handoff but, because of the defensive front, immediately veering right through a wide open hole for a key first down. It wasn’t just happenstance that a hole emerged at that exact spot. It was Havenstein and the rest of the offensive line being on the same exact page with their Pro Bowl running back from start to finish.
“It’s especially important with Todd because, I mean, I need to have a feel for where he is,” Havenstein said. “So feeling how a defense plays, where guys can almost say, ‘As soon as I got this look, I knew (Gurley would run) behind me because that’s our read.’ And I can do this, which will make that happen. And that will (lead) to a good play because I know everyone else is doing their job. And a result, there’s a hole right here.”
You would think that such a philosophy would be an industry-wide objective. At the very least, it would be something most teams strive for in their teaching and coaching.
But it isn’t.
“Because we do it a little differently than most other teams,” Sullivan said.And that starts with McVay, who put an emphasis on teaching upon taking the Rams job and surrounded himself with assistants who also make it a top priority.
No one embodies that more than offensive line coach Aaron Kromer who, like McVay, attended Miami of Ohio University and earned a master’s degree in education. And like McVay, Kromer adheres to the collaborative approach in which players are encouraged to ask questions and provide input. The investment they make in the process also creates ownership of it.
The dividend they reap is in the result.
“I think it’s a demonstration of having a great staff that there’s a give and take,” McVay said. “I lean heavily on a lot of our guys. We’re always trying to teach, and there’s a lot of instances where we’re learning as coaches from our players in different situations. The more experience you get, the better you’re able to learn and kind of put those in the memory bank.
“I think for us, just continuing to educate ourselves on how to handle situations, how to be smart, how to be better situationally, schematically. But being able to listen to the players is a big part of it, and the ownership that our guys have on it, I think, is what we’ve seen show up and hope to continue to see show up as the season progresses.”
More and more, that’s showing up on a Rams offensive line that is as intellectually in tune as it is physically imposing.
“We’re all just sort of in synch right now in terms of how plays are supposed to develop,” Havenstein said. “We’re all on the same page.”
Said Sullivan: “This is the most connected team I’ve ever been a part of. This is the smartest football team I’ve ever been on.”
That’s especially true in the passing game, where concepts and plays can change at the line of scrimmage based on the coverage. The meticulous care with which the Rams take in communicating across all positions gives Sullivan a peek into, say, Kupp’s world. Not just in what he’s seeing, but how he’ll attack it.
In doing so, it helps determine Sullivan’s approach.
“It’s not that I have to know exactly what their role is on every single play,” he said. “When we fit into schemes, I know generally how long the routes are. Not necessarily how to run them, but how long it takes, because then it affects my job when I know this is a longer developing play.
“It helps when you can understand that the other components of the offense are thinking through a whole lot of stuff. It helps you empathize. And it helps bring that connection.”
And that’s helped create an offensive line that hasn’t just elevated it’s game from last year.
It’s playing as well as any offensive line in the NFL.znModeratorwhat has me impressed too is the ypa.
his intermediate passing is beautiful to watch.
I am with you on both things.
I love his lasers to the intermediate middle.
Zing. Laser.
znModeratorznModeratorOctober 5, 2018 at 2:47 am in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91895znModeratorOctober 5, 2018 at 2:46 am in reply to: analysts praising McVay offense (a lotta good stuff here) #91894znModeratorOctober 5, 2018 at 1:30 am in reply to: reporters set up the Seattle game (articles, tweets, vids) #91892znModeratorOpposing View: Seahawks HC Pete Carroll Keyed In On Rams Offense
https://www.therams.com/news/opposing-view-seahawks-hc-pete-carroll-keyed-in-on-rams-offense
Quotes & Notes 10/4/18: Wade Phillips’ Defense Prepares for Russell Wilson
https://www.therams.com/news/quotes-notes-10-4-18-wade-phillips-defense-prepares-for-russell-wilson
znModeratoralyoshamucci
Game 4 recap
The Great
1) The 5 amazing passes Goff threw. Guy has a day like that and we start thinking long term about the health of our team, don’t we? Like a guy makes 2 passes like that and we can shrug it off. 5 is intangible talent.
2) Cooooooper… I’m really glad I got his jersey.
3) Offensive line … goodness what a unit. The run blocking is unreal.
4) Gurley responding to high intensity situations with matched intensity.
The Good
5) Post game, but the Cairo Santos signing.
6) Aaron Donald sighting just in the nick of time.
7) Run Defense.
8) Cooks’ hands and strength are both better than I had previously thought.
9) Sam Shields held up okay. Especially like him batting passes.
10) Khadarell Hodge sighting on teams …
11) Littleton’s quality play. I loved him coming out, but I never thought he’d hold up inside.
The Bad
12) Peters was off, especially misjudging that TD over his head.
13) Not getting pressure FAST enough. 2.5 seconds isn’t fast enough to make someone move …
14) Countess bringing the ball out of the end zone.
15) Cousins played amazing football, but under no circumstances is it okay to allow 450 passing yards.
znModeratorFunctioning INSIDE THE POCKET is crucial for any QB to have sustained success in the #NFL– here are the best/worst thus far.#ChiefsKingdom #LARams #GoSaints #GoBucs #InBrotherhood #FightForEachOther #FinsUp #Skol #HTTR #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/cPJYbQc9Lz
— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) October 4, 2018
znModeratorRich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
Here’s how good Jared Goff has been: Todd Gurley is on pace for more rushing yards, more receiving yards and more touchdowns than last season, but he’s totally under the radar.==
J.B. Long@JB_Long
For the “#LARams aren’t getting what they paid for on defense” crowd… @PFF has @NdamukongSuh on track for the highest overall grade of his career.==
Chris Wesseling@ChrisWesseling
Pats pass rushers are apparitions containing no body weight -
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