Category: Latest Rams news

Watch: Todd Gurley scores TD after Cooper Kupp gets lucky with fumble

Todd Gurley scored his 64th career touchdown Sunday.

Cooper Kupp was on the verge of going six straight quarters without catching a single pass, but he broke through in the second quarter for his first grab since Week 8. On a crucial third-and-6 – right after Kupp was called for a false start – Jared Goff hit him deep down the left side for a 50-yard gain.

It appeared Kupp got into the end zone for a touchdown, and it was ruled as so initially, but after review, the play was overturned.

It was ruled that Kupp fumbled it at the 1-yard line, just as he stepped out of bounds near the pylon. He’s fortunate the ball didn’t go another few inches to the right and through the end zone, which would’ve been a touchback.

After the Rams took over at the 1, Todd Gurley punched it in for the touchdown to give the Rams a 10-0 lead over the Bears

It was Gurley’s 64th career touchdown, which pushed him past Jim Brown, Walter Payton and Maurice Jones-Drew for the second-most ever before a player’s 26th birthday.

Todd Gurley reaches 5,000 career rushing yards, 6th Rams RB ever

Todd Gurley hit a milestone against the Bears.

Todd Gurley’s career got off to an outstanding start, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year and making the Pro Bowl in 2015 despite only starting 12 games. His production took a dip in 2016 under Jeff Fisher, but he got back on track in 2017 and 2018 with back-to-back All-Pro seasons.

As much as he’s struggled this season, he still reached 5,000 career rushing yards before turning 26. He did so on Sunday night against the Bears, becoming the sixth Rams player ever to reach that number.

The others are Steven Jackson (10,138 yards), Eric Dickerson (7,245), Marshall Faulk (6,959), Lawrence McCutcheon (6,186) and Dick Bass (5,417).

Gurley got off to a hot start against the Bears, rushing for 42 yards in the first quarter alone after fumbling it on his first carry.

With Robert Woods out, Rams must get RBs involved in passing game

The Rams should utilize Todd Gurley and Darrell Henderson as receivers with Robert Woods out.

The Los Angeles Rams will be without two of their three starting wide receivers on Sunday night against the Bears. Brandin Cooks is out with a concussion, while Robert Woods is inactive and not at the Coliseum as he deals with a personal issue.

That leaves Cooper Kupp as the only starter who is active against Chicago, which complicates things dramatically for the Rams. He’ll start alongside Josh Reynolds, but the Rams utilize three wide receivers on the field at a time more than any other team in the league.

That creates some confusion with the game plan, because the only other receivers who could step up are Mike Thomas, JoJo Natson and the recently promoted Nsimba Webster. It’s hard to imagine any of those three players having a big impact on the game, though.

With Woods out, the Rams must get their running backs involved in the passing game – and that doesn’t just mean Todd Gurley.

Jared Goff has targeted his running backs on just 10% of the Rams’ passing plays, which is the second-lowest total in the NFL. That should change tonight. Sean McVay has to call screens and designed plays to go to the RBs in the passing game, which should help make up for Woods’ absence.

Obviously, the tight ends should be more involved, too, as both Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett are active after battling injuries during the week of practice. However, this should be the game where Gurley and Darrell Henderson break out as receivers.

Gurley’s hands haven’t been reliable, and Henderson has only been targeted six times (four catches), but they have a better chance of impacting this game than Natson, Webster and Thomas.

Rams Week 11 inactives: Robert Woods (personal) out vs. Bears

Robert Woods is inactive against the Bears, leaving Cooper Kupp as the only starting wide receiver who’s active.

The Los Angeles Rams will need all hands on deck against the Bears on Sunday night with several players battling injuries. They’re already without Rob Havenstein (knee) and Brandin Cooks (concussion), who were ruled out earlier in the week, while Brian Allen (knee) is out for the year, too.

Robert Woods is a shocking scratch for Sunday night, as he will be inactive. He was healthy all week and did not appear on the injury report, so this came out of nowhere. That leaves Cooper Kupp as the only starting wide receiver who is active against the Bears.

According to the team, Woods is not at the Coliseum for the game and is dealing with a personal issue.

It’s worth noting that the Rams did add Nsimba Webster to the 53-man roster on Saturday, waiving John Kelly to make room for him. Perhaps the Rams knew Woods wouldn’t be able to play on Sunday, and they didn’t need to disclose anything since the final injury report came out on Friday.

On the bright side, both Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett are active for Sunday’s game against Chicago, as is Austin Blythe. Blythe and Kupp came down with a stomach bug on Friday and weren’t certain to play, though Sean McVay expected them to.

For the Bears, running back David Montgomery is also active. He was said to be a game-time decision and he’s healthy enough to play against the Rams.

Broncos fail to help Rams in NFC, blow 20-point lead to Vikings

The Rams could’ve used a loss by the Vikings, but Denver blew a 20-point lead.

Aside from their own, there wasn’t a more important game for the Rams’ playoff hopes than Broncos-Vikings this weekend. The Vikings held a 1.5-game lead over the Rams in the wild-card race entering Week 11, so a loss by Minnesota and a win by L.A. would’ve tightened things a bit for the Rams.

If the Rams were scoreboard watching on Sunday before their prime-time matchup with the Bears, they were likely thrilled with the first half line in the Broncos-Vikings game. Denver was up 20-0 at the half, led by former Rams quarterback Brandon Allen, appearing to be on its way to pulling off a huge upset in Minnesota.

Then things went south. The Broncos somehow managed to blow their 20-point lead in the second half, losing to Minnesota 27-23. Allen has a chance to win the game in the final seconds, driving the Broncos down the field all the way inside the 10-yard line.

However, he threw three incomplete passes in the last 10 seconds, allowing the Vikings to escape with a win. It was the first time in five years that a team came back after trailing by 20 at the half.

As J.B. Long pointed out, the Rams likely need to finish no worse than 10-6 to have a chance at the playoffs with the Vikings already 8-3 at their bye.

The Rams need to take care of their own business and win the games on their schedule, but they don’t “control their own destiny,” as it’s often said. In other words, they need help from other teams in order to have a shot at the postseason.

The Rams host the Bears on Sunday night, and a loss would be devastating. It would put them 2.5 games behind the Vikings in the NFC wild-card race.

Rams vs. Bears: Time, TV and streaming info for Week 11

How to watch Sunday night’s game between the Rams and Bears.

The Los Angeles Rams are hosting the Chicago Bears on Sunday night at the Coliseum. It’s a game both teams need to win if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the loser could be done in the NFC.

To get you ready for Week 11 of the regular season, we’ve compiled all the important game day information – from streaming options to the officiating crew on Sunday night. And be sure to follow along on Twitter with @TheRamsWire and @camdasilva.

You can live stream the game on fuboTV (try it free).

Los Angeles Rams vs. Chicago Bears – November 17 at 8:20 p.m. ET

TV channel: NBC

Live stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Radio: ESPN LA 710 AM

Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Forecast: Sunny, 81 degrees, 2 mph winds

Referee: John Hussey

Odds: Rams -6.5, over/under 41.5

Rams vs. Bears: Final score prediction for Week 11

It’s been a season of streaks for the Rams, but can they avoid a two-game losing skid on Sunday?

Following an ugly loss to Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10, the Los Angeles Rams are trying to avoid their second losing streak of the season. They’ll host the Chicago Bears on Sunday night at the Coliseum, the first of two consecutive prime-time games in Los Angeles.

The Bears have had a dismal season, largely due to the struggles of Mitchell Trubisky and the offense, but the Rams have had their share of issues, too. The offense failed to score a touchdown against the Steelers and barely had more than 300 yards of total offense.

As the favorites, this is certainly a game the Rams should win. However, the same was said about their matchups with the Bucs and Steelers, too, and they lost both.

So will the Rams take care of business and win their sixth game of the season? After seeing how they played against Pittsburgh, it’s hard to be convinced they will.

The biggest issue is the offensive line, which doesn’t bode well against Chicago’s defensive front. Khalil Mack was a nightmare for the Rams in last season’s loss to the Bears, and he’ll likely be facing rookie Bobby Evans on Sunday night. The Rams will need to send plenty of help Evans’ way on the right side of the line, given how easy it is for Mack to completely wreck the game plan for an offense.

On the inside, Brian Allen is out and Austin Blythe is battling a stomach bug, though he’s expected to play. Cooper Kupp has the same ailment, and while he should be fine for the game, it’s possible he won’t be feeling 100% healthy.

The Bears defense shut down the Rams last season, keeping Los Angeles out of the end zone and holding Todd Gurley to just 28 carries on 11 attempts. Jared Goff’s four interceptions and one fumble were absolutely devastating for the offense, and he’s fortunate Los Angeles was able to recover the ball when he coughed it up.

With the Rams starting two new players on the offensive line, both tight ends banged up and Brandin Cooks still out, they’ll have trouble offensively. This is going to be a hard-fought game that should be relatively low-scoring, and I think the Bears will pull off the upset.

Final score prediction: Bears 20, Rams 17

Brandin Cooks is selling his L.A. home for $5.8M: Nothing or something?

Brandin Cooks has listed his home for $5.8 million. Does it mean anything?

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandin Cooks is listing his recently purchased Hidden Hills house on the market, according to an article from the Los Angeles Times.

Cooks’ 2.3-acre estate rests at the top of a cul-de-sac. He bought the modern style home a few months after being traded from the Patriots to the Rams, but the official listing on RedFin shows he is selling the home for $5.8 million.

PHOTOS: Brandin Cooks lists home for $5.8 million

But as the sixth-year wideout begins listening to offers for his house, it isn’t far-fetched to assume that the Rams are preparing to listen to offers for Brandin Cooks himself.

According to Spotrac, the Rams will enter the 2020 season with 41 players under contract and roughly $26 million in cap space. Cooks’ salary alone amounts to 8.1 percent of the team’s salary cap, with $21.8 million in dead cap.

Looking ahead to next season, Cooks could be a cap casualty for a team that is in win-now mode with very little draft capital and is heavily-invested in franchise quarterback Jared Goff, who has struggled behind a porous offensive line decimated by injuries.

Les Snead has become increasingly aggressive during his tenure as general manager of the Rams since the team moved to Los Angeles. With Cooks, the Rams have a dependable deep threat who has finished above 1,000 yards receiving with 16 starts in four of his six seasons in the league, with the only other two seasons being this year and a rookie season cut short by a fractured thumb.

But an unfortunate slew of recent head injuries has kept Cooks from maximizing his full potential and could also diminish his trade value. The former Oregon State All-American suffered his fourth concussion in less than two years in the Rams’ 24-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in London and is officially listed as out for the team’s Sunday night tilt against the Bears.

And as Cooks’ contract stipulates, he has $50 million guaranteed for injury. It also wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that he could walk away from the game with well-deserved wealth for the sake of his own health.

This is not to speculate that Cooks has considered retirement, but there’s a growing trend across the NFL where star players retire during the prime of their careers. Andrew Luck is the most recent example, following the footsteps of perennial All-Pro players like Patrick Willis, Calvin Johnson, and Rob Gronkowski.

But the trade deadline has since passed, and Cooks is seeking to get back on the field as soon as possible. Rams head coach Sean McVay is optimistic that his deep threat wideout will return for the team’s Monday night date with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in Week 12.

“He’s out there. He’s got great energy like he always does. He’s moving around,” McVay said. “I think it’s one of those things sitting down with Brandin, really getting a chance to talk to our doctors and then making that decision that we feel like is right. I think he’s feeling good and I think he’s excited about the opportunity to come back and play.”

Cooks’ decision to sell his Los Angeles home doesn’t necessarily mean his days as a Ram are numbered. One only needs to look at NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard, who in June reportedly bought property in Toronto ahead of his decision to spurn the Toronto Raptors for the Los Angeles Clippers in early July.

But all things considered, Cooks’ status with the team is certainly something worth monitoring as the Rams continue to play the game of salary cap gymnastics that they started, which won’t end anytime soon.

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Sean McVay would take a win however the Rams can get one Sunday

Sean McVay won’t mind “winning ugly” if that’s what it takes on Sunday.

At 5-4, the Los Angeles Rams need wins any way they can get them. A third straight NFC West title is rapidly slipping away, and in the wild-card race, they’re also falling behind teams like the Seahawks and Vikings.

With just seven weeks remaining, the Rams can’t waste any more time. Each mounting loss pushes them further back and hurts their playoff chances – which currently sit at 16.5% through 10 weeks.

Sean McVay isn’t panicking, but he’ll take a win any way he can.

“I think we’re comfortable with whatever we feel like we need to do to win the football game,” McVay said when asked if he’d be OK winning an ugly game against the Bears. “That’s one of the things that you continue to learn is, ‘All right, with this specific approach it’s about putting all three phases together and it’s about winning as a team.’ That’s the most important thing. We do have an approach that we’d like to see how the game plays out. You know in an ideal setting for us, things always don’t go according to plan but if that’s the case and we end up coming away with the win, we would take it however we end up getting that.”

The Rams are favored by 6.5 points over the Bears, but this is hardly an easy game for them. Chicago was the first team to truly shut down McVay’s offense, holding the Rams to just six points at Soldier Field last season.

The warmer weather and friendly confines of the Coliseum should help the Rams in this one, but Chicago is still a tough opponent. The Bears defense remains one of the more talented units in the league, especially up front.

Khalil Mack will have a very favorable matchup against rookie Bobby Evans, who’s expected to make his first career start at right tackle on Sunday. On the interior, the Bears have Eddie Goldman, too, who will face the Rams’ makeshift guard combo of Austin Corbett and David Edwards.

Getting the running game going in this one would certainly help Los Angeles move the ball offensively, and McVay knows sometimes you have to continually run it even if it struggles initially.

“I think in some instances, I think you do,” he said. “You have an appreciation that each play is so important throughout the course of the game. You don’t ever want to just really feel like you’re wasting plays. But I would say that based on the flow of the game and in some instances based on what you’re trying to get done, there might be some opportunities where you feel like, ‘all right let’s get a good tough physical downhill run and try to get some efficient yards.’ Even if it might not be that premier look that you’re looking for.”

Rams add Nsimba Webster to 53-man roster, waive RB John Kelly

The Rams have added Nsimba Webster to the 53-man roster after another team tried to sign him.

Nsimba Webster burst onto the scene for the Rams as an undrafted free agent this summer, making the 53-man roster out of the gates. He was waived in October but signed to the practice squad, sticking around in Los Angeles.

The Rams like his skill set as a receiver and return specialist, and they showed it on Saturday by promoting him from the practice squad to the active roster.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, they made the move partly because Brandin Cooks remains out, but also because another team tried to sign him to their roster.

To make room for Webster, the Rams waived running back John Kelly.

Webster probably won’t be active on Sunday against the Bears, even with Cooks out, but he does have a chance to make an impact at some point for the Rams down the line. He’s a speedy receiver out of the slot and dynamic return man with pro potential.

In the preseason, he had 15 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown in four games.