That Dilfer thing is a MUST listen.

My son, whom I brought up lovingly and with great care, gave me Covid DURING the Super Bowl.

He came over to my house to watch the game with me, and then Monday morning he texted me to tell me he had a fever. So I drove a home test over to him, and he tested positive. I tested positive on Thursday.

That’s the kind of son I have. I bring him up right, instilling him with proper Rams fandom, and on the day the Rams win the Super Bowl, he returns the favor by giving me Covid.

The upshot of which is that I am enjoying a paid break from work while I putter around the garden and catch up on some grading.

Source: The Rams are hiring Kentucky OC Liam Coen as their new offensive coordinator, bringing Greg Olson back to the staff, and giving assistant head coach Thomas Brown more responsibility within the offense and team.

Sean McVay moving quick to put together his '22 staff.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 21, 2022

zn wrote:

There was also a narrative, which I think is true, that earlier in the seaon McV relied more on MS just slinging it and cut back on the jet sweeps, motion, and play action. Teams adjusted to that and the ones that could tee off on the Rams usually solid but sometimes physically manhandled OL took advantage of that. As a response McV put back in more of the play action and so on and relied less on MS just slinging it from start to finish.

A flaw I thought I saw with MS may relate to this. Underneath passes were not always as effective with him because he would wait a beat too long before checking down and that set up the underneath receivers to be stopped for fewer yards. That comes from him pressing and trying to look downfield for something to break. I would prefer it if he had a top inner clock and saw immediately that he should throw underneath before giving the defense time to spot it.

I recall reading Stafford stating that he doesn’t like pre-snap motion, and iirc, he was not a big fan of play action, either, although he was far from bad at it. The play action I am less sure about, but I am sure I read he doesn’t like motion.

I also recall reading that QBs who get traded don’t far all that well, historically, in their first season with the new team, and do better in following seasons.

Okay, that said…I also believe Stafford improved as the season wore on, and that the Rams used more motion and PA as the season wore on. So what we have here is a QB on a new team who is adjusting to a new system, and a coach that is figuring that out, and a new WR added mid-stream as another WR the QB was just getting used to goes out. And all that got better and better as the season progressed, and it peaked at the right time. That’s just what happened, as far as I can tell.

All of which should excite Rams fans for what could be in store for this team next year. Stafford is going to get better with both the system, and his WRs (and TEs and RBs). He was already hitting Henderson. Give him time with Akers, and a second season with Kupp, Woods, and Higbee, with OBJ hitting the fold later, and a second year working with McVay, and we could see some nonsense happen on the field.

And to restate my opinion on McVay, I saw growth this year. Real growth. He has learned from his mistakes, and he is a wiser coach right now. That jet sweep you referenced…that call was made precisely at the moment it helped most. There was no better call he could have made on 4th and 1 at that moment. Cincy hadn’t seen it; they weren’t ready for it. And it kept a 15-play drive alive with everything at stake.

I am bullish on the Rams’ offense. I think Matthew not Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp are a very big problem for the rest of the NFL, and a full year with Akers, Woods, and a late-arriving OBJ? Goodness. I want to see that. Please, Lord, let us watch that.

I wouldn’t think Powell would cost more than the vet minimum. The Rams picked him up after he had bounced around, right? And it’s not like he was great; he just didn’t screw things up. I’m happy to have him, but he’s kind of the bare minimum in production, isn’t he?

zn wrote:

Interestingly enough though they get real value out of the lower rounds.

Yeah, I know.

And with the Lombardi safely residing in Los Angeles, there is no reason to complain about their strategy. It’s working. I think quantity of late round picks is important. The conventional wisdom forever has been to build the team with 1st and 2nd rounders, and you can throw away a bunch of “useless” 4-7 rounders to move up.

Well…the Rams are stockpiling quantities in the late rounds, and turning up the guys you pointed out, and more.

Heck, Kupp was a 3rd round pick.

I think the Rams have shown that it’s better to have 8 guys in rounds 5-7 than a high pick.

Oh…and one other thing that crossed my mind and totally doesn’t belong here, or anywhere else, but I gotta say it: A’Shawn Robinson is better than Brockers. There. I said it.

I’m guessing they’re keeping Morris.

I had doubts the first half of the season, but I think he’s a keeper now. I appreciate the way he adjusted at halftime in a few games – notably the Super Bowl where he changed the defensive front and poured a record-tying onslaught onto Burrow.

These guys in the college ranks are interesting.

InvaderRam wrote:

that robert rochell can grab the starting corner spot opposite ramsey.

Yeah, I think he’s gonna hafta. Williams is a FA, and that seems like one of the more likely guys to let walk.

It’s not a good look, and people will be bringing it up forever, so he will never live it down.

But…the guy was blitzed, and in a state of euphoria, and in no condition to respond to that like he would have if it was an ordinary day.

To say nothing of the fact that he’s not qualified to handle an injury. He’s a quarterback, not an EMT, and I’m sure she had appropriate medical help very quickly, and there is literally nothing Stafford could have done medically. But it would have been a better look if he had walked over there and peered down, I guess.

I was just coming to post that Donald/Corden bit.

It’s fun to see that guy so happy.

#Rams will make a concerted effort in resigning Von Miller – knowing full well his market will be robust – source says. I’m told the team is open to both a one-year and multi-year extension for the future Hall of Famer. Key bonus: Aaron Donald and Miller are great friends.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 16, 2022

"Alright Matthew, you ready for this? This is gonna be your game-winner right here buddy"

Sean McVay knew exactly what to call to win the Super Bowl 🙌 #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/zbsZLkPviY

— NFL Total Access (@NFLTotalAccess) February 17, 2022

Well, all those guys are lubed up to the gills, and giddy about their victory.

But even after the euphoria wears off, I think they are going to want to try to repeat.

I don’t know about you guys, but personally, I’m in favor of a repeat.

Rumor has it that there is some public intoxication in Los Angeles today.

What's the only thing better than Parade Matthew Stafford?

Parade Matthew Stafford at 0.5 speed. pic.twitter.com/s6fvhtWtvD

— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) February 16, 2022

One of the greatest players in NFL history proved it on the biggest stage of them all.@AaronDonald97 | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/H06xe7DmrI

— NFL (@NFL) February 14, 2022