nittany ram wrote:

The Akers and Goff situations are different. McVay’s complaint about Akers was that he wouldn’t ‘buy in’ to the system -presumably referring to his discontent with a running back by committee approach. It was his attitude. Goff just wasn’t savvy enough in McVay’s offense to make adjustments on the fly. McVay said he always felt like he had to call the perfect play every down because Goff couldn’t make adjustments off script. It was more about QB experience than attitude. McVay never questioned Goff’s willingness to do what was asked of him, just his ability to do it.

Yeah, I think that’s a fair assessment.

How Rams WR Puka Nacua is growing with ‘Coach Kupp,’ a breakfast club and tough hits

by Jourdan Rodrigue

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — In 2021, it was playfully nicknamed “the breakfast club,” a daily film appointment between
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp that took place in the earliest hours of the
morning.These days, a third player sits in with the two veterans: rookie receiver Puka Nacua.
“Those two — as much as they’re in the moment for the reps that we’re taking, they’re thinking light-years ahead. ‘Hey, we’ve
played this team before, on this look we have run this before, we’ve got a different look so when you run this, expect this
because we’ve seen that before,’”said Nacua, waving his hands to demonstrate how rapid-fire the information comes toward
him from Stafford and Kupp.“It’s been sweet, it’s been a blessing. Every morning. …They’re next level.I guess that’s a part
of being a professional.They are the best of the best.I’m trying to build some of those things into my routine.”
Nacua burst into the NFL’s view in historic fashion.In just two games — minus Kupp, who is on injured reserve with a
hamstring issue — Nacua has 25 catches for 266 yards and the Rams’ pass game has a 15.9 EPA whenever he is targeted,
according to TruMedia.This ranks No. 4 among NFL receivers. His 15 catches for 147 yards (on 20 targets) Sunday marked
the most catches made in a single game by a rookie receiver in NFL history, and he is also the first in NFL history to have
10-plus catches and at least 100 yards receiving in each of his first two career games.

Getting to this point has been a group effort, Nacua said, and it started in spring OTAs — just a few weeks after the Rams
drafted him out of BYU in the fifth round.
If “the breakfast club”is a graduate-level study program, Nacua had to begin with some “gen eds.” During OTAs, he started
showing up in the mornings to passing game specialist Jake Peetz’s office — Kupp and Stafford in a room somewhere down
the hall — to get a base layer of information about the Rams’ passing concepts, from alignment details to formations and how
the team layers and times routes.
“Every morning (of OTAs) I was coming in, after practice coming in to see him,”Nacua said.“It slowly started branching out
from there. (Peetz) got me some reps with the ones, and I was able to work with Stafford and with Coop. (Then, Stafford) is
giving me coaching points because we got live reps together. … Everybody (started) chiming in.”
On the field, Nacua worked closely with receivers coach Eric Yarber especially on what his responsibilities would be away
from the ball. Catching passes well doesn’t guarantee playing time for Rams receivers, who are fully involved in blocking
concepts along with the tight ends and offensive linemen.If Nacua could grasp the requirements there, he could get on the
field earlier.
“It really did start in the run game,”Nacua said.“If we have a closer split, if I’m all the way out wide, how does that change
our run rules? …That was,I guess (a way) to build into our offense.It starts in our play-action, stuff like that.The ground
level really was all the run game stuff, and I love that.I found a new way to look at the defense.”
By Week 2 against San Francisco, Nacua was executing some of the run-blocking assignments the Rams used to give former
veteran receiver Robert Woods.
“Those receivers, they got to put their face in there and when they do, it sets a tone for everyone else on offense,” offensive
coordinator Mike LaFleur said.“It’s good that he’s embraced that.I think that’s the culture he walked into and like I said,
giving Yarbs (Yarber) a lot of credit for getting that done.”
As OTAs and training camp continued, Nacua took coaching wherever he could get it.In June, McVay spent time in
practices working with Nacua on his release off the line of scrimmage.In July, between OTAs and training camp, Stafford
organized throwing sessions with Nacua, Kupp and other young receivers.In training camp and into the preseason while he
dealt with a hamstring strain, Kupp spent most practices on the sideline with the receivers and got in Nacua and others’ ears
after each play. But the other receivers — Tutu Atwell, Van Jefferson and Ben Skowronek — also got in Nacua’s ear.
“The other guys have been right there along the way, helping me as much as they can,” he said.“As much as I feel like I’m
learning things, and picking things up, there’s the little nuances (they know), they’ve just been in the offense for a while.
They’re always willing to help me.

By the time the season began, Nacua had “graduated”from his morning sessions with Peetz and started sitting in with
Stafford and Kupp.
“I’m kind of following Coop, like, ‘Hey, when do you guys come in? Hey, Coop, can I watch with you guys?’”Nacua said
laughing.“The first couple of meetings,I’m like a fly on the wall. Nothing is really being said to me, they’re just like,
watching the tape (and) talking to each other.Then they’re like, ‘Oh, Puka, you’re in on this rep? This is what we want you to
do.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, you’re talking to me?’I’m so focused the whole time! My ears perk up and I’m like, ‘He’s talking to me
now.’”
As the season approached, coaches started to see the young receiver “get it.”LaFleur noticed that when Stafford broke the
huddle, and Nacua went to his spot, he did so without confusion or indecision.
“There’s a lot of things that are said in that huddle for a rookie receiver that they’ve never experienced in their life,”LaFleur
said.“Every guy is going to be a little bit different on how they approach it … I won’t even mention names, but some
(rookies), when the first parts of the play call are coming in, they’re pointing to what direction they have to break (out) of the
huddle. You can almost kind of see them playing the play out with their hand and stuff like that. For Puka, he just breaks it
with confidence — and then he goes.”

When the Rams traveled to Seattle in Week 1, the younger receivers asked McVay if Kupp could travel with the team so he
could be on the sideline with them.
“What was the most powerful thing is that those guys asked,”McVay said.“Usually guys that are on IR don’t make the trips
to these away games, things like that.Those guys specifically asked because they wanted his feedback, his ability to lead and
the information that he’s able to give them that can be digestible and applicable. …
“There’s such a credibility that comes.It’s one thing when we’re saying it, it’s another thing when Cooper is explaining it.To
be able to articulate it through (the) lens, ‘I’ve been in these exact situations,I know exactly what we’re looking for.’ He was
right there on the sidelines. He’s ‘Coach Kupp’right now.”
Against Seattle, Nacua was targeted 15 times by Stafford, and caught 10 passes for 119 yards. He also lined up all across the
line of scrimmage and became one of the early reads in Stafford’s progression against zone coverage, a sign that the coaching
staff and quarterback trusted him to account for many of the concepts called for Kupp when he’s healthy.
In that game, Nacua bruised his ribs on a tough catch across the middle of the field — “welcome to the NFL,” he said — but
was all smiles, shoots and goshes postgame and said he couldn’t wait to call his mom

zn wrote:

Except maybe Akers?

Well, that’s the question, exactly. Because if it IS true with Akers, then what have we got here? Is there a commonality between Goff and Akers? Or are these situations completely unrelated?

Outside of that, the only criticism I can muster of McVay is that his halftime adjustments don’t sing out to me as a strength (the Seattle game being a notable exception).

It sure seems like he is coaching the hell out of this squad, though. Long way to go, of course, but these two games have got my attention.

zn wrote:

we’re watching one of the best Rams coaching jobs we’ve seen

That thought has crossed my mind since Sunday as well.

This is not a band of seasoned, vet pro-bowlers. And they are playing well. That game Sunday was winnable, and on paper, it should not have been.

McVay maybe is not a great psychologist when it comes to managing individuals, but he is a brilliant strategist, tactician, and group inspirational speaker. Seems like.

Rams Trade Akers to Vikings

he Rams have traded Cam Akers to the Vikings, according to CBS Sports Lead NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. The deal reportedly involves a swap of 2026 late-round picks. The trade comes three days after it was initially reported that Akers was on the trading block. Akers was inactive Sunday for the Rams’ 30-23 Week 2 loss against the 49ers.

On Monday, head coach Sean McVay essential confirmed Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer’s report by telling reporters that general manager Les Snead has spoken with a few teams about Akers, per The Athletic….

Colin Cowherd is a bit of a Rams fan, but that’s okay. I am, too.

Puka also has 5 more receptions than any other player, just as we all expected through 2 weeks https://t.co/KMzZ9wHQzZ

— Rams Wire (@TheRamsWire) September 19, 2023

Wow, this is interesting. I couldn’t fit all the stats in an image, but these were the interesting ones anyway. Rams win time of possession, better on 3rd down, total plays. Those 2 TOs, man.

I wish the Rams had won, and they had a shot at this game, but I was expecting it to be a lopsided affair from the start, and I have to take this as an encouraging sign. The Rams victory last week wasn’t a fluke. This team is better than I expected.

Stafford is significantly better than any point last year. The OL is better. Puka Nacua was a steal. We went from Kupp and a bunch of scrubs to 2 Kupps and an Atwell. I can’t wait to see Nacua and Kupp together. Williams is also promising. The offense looks pretty good, and the TEs haven’t even been worked into the rotation yet. Akers is finished, apparently, and we can hope only that the Rams get something decent in return.

Kendrick is not selling a lot of jerseys, I’ll bet, but I’m not finished with him yet. The rest of the defense has done alright, although the lack of a pass rush is noticeable, and the Rams would do well to mix in a couple of takeaways every week. McCaffrey gained 116 yards on the ground, but 51 yards were on that one long carry, so he barely cleared 3 yds/att on the other 19 rushes. Purdy had just over 200 yds passing. When you consider the long drives SF had the first half, the Rams handled them pretty well, and if not for the two TOs the Rams had, we might have had an upset.

I’m looking forward to some analysis from the tape guys this week.

Marc Bulger

nittany ram wrote:

Was Bennett or Rypien the backup to Stafford?

The Rams obviously intended for Bennett to be the #2 this year. They cut Rypien, and re-signed him to the Practice Squad. But they elevated him for Week One – which suggests to me that whatever Bennett’s problem is, it was evident prior to the Seattle game.

Or maybe it was evident far earlier, but the Rams calculated that somebody else was likely to claim Bennett if they cut him, whereas Rypien was likely to clear.

The #Rams have placed rookie QB Stetson Bennett on the reserve/NFI list, taking him off the active roster.

"Out of respect for him and the situation, I’m going to leave all of those specifics and particulars in-house." — coach Sean McVay.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 13, 2023

Isn’t Hurricane Lee the guy who led the Confederate forces?