Category: Latest Rams news

Watch: Jared Goff throws block for Robert Woods on 48-yard gain

Jared Goff helped spring Robert Woods free for a 48-yard gain.

Nothing has gone right for Jared Goff in the last month, going three straight games without a touchdown. The calendar turn was apparently just what Goff needed, though, as he came out firing against the Cardinals on Sunday.

He racked up 323 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone, helping put the Rams up 20-0 before halftime. In the second half, his sharp play continued, picking apart the Cardinals secondary and pushing his yardage total over 400.

Forty-eight yards came on this play alone, which was a broken screen pass to Robert Woods. Goff got out in front of Woods after he reversed field and threw a block on Patrick Peterson to spring the wideout free.

Goff needs to catch fire in the final few weeks if the Rams want to make a playoff push, especially after going just 1-2 in their last three games. This is a nice start.

Tyler Higbee sets new career-highs in only one half vs. Cardinals

Tyler Higbee set new career-highs in a single game in only one half against the Cardinals.

The Los Angeles Rams gave Tyler Higbee a four-year, $31 million extension back in September, making him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL. It was a surprising move by the front office, considering Gerald Everett has a higher ceiling at tight end, but Higbee’s potential is also apparent.

He showed it off in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, looking like a true No. 1 tight end for the Rams. In the first 30 minutes alone, Higbee caught seven passes for 107 yards and one touchdown.

He set new career-highs in receptions and yards, surpassing his previous single-game highs of six catches and 98 yards.

Higbee was doing it all, too. He was separating from defenders in man coverage on drag routes, getting open in the flat and making plays after the catch, and sitting down against the zone to get open for Jared Goff.

He’s regarded as a better blocker than receiver, but Higbee has the athleticism to do everything at tight end.

Watch: Jared Goff off to hot start, hits Tyler Higbee for TD

Jared Goff came out firing against the Cardinals.

Jared Goff went the entire month of November with zero touchdown passes, spanning three games without a score. He started December in much better fashion, throwing a touchdown pass on just the third drive of the game against the Cardinals.

Goff came out firing and red-hot, racking up 171 yards passing on 14-for-16 passing on the Rams’ first three drives. He capped it off with a touchdown pass to Tyler Higbee, who also got off to a great start.

The touchdown put the Rams up 10-0, as they were finally able to cap off a drive with a touchdown. Their first two possessions ended with a field goal and a missed field goal, so this score was encouraging.

The Rams had 200 yards in the first quarter alone, while holding the Cardinals to just 21 yards in the first 15 minutes.

Rams Week 13 inactives: Everett and Havenstein out, Christian active

There are no surprises among the Rams’ inactives this week.

The Los Angeles Rams will once again be without a few key starters on Sunday against the Cardinals. Sean McVay previously ruled out Gerald Everett and Rob Havenstein, so they’ll be sidelined on Sunday. The same goes for backup cornerback Darious Williams, who remains out with an ankle injury.

As for the Rams’ other inactives in Week 13, Marqui Christian is not among them. He was initially hampered by a knee injury early in the week but came into this game without a designation. He’s active against the Cardinals.

Nsimba Webster, Natrez Patrick, Jamil Demby and Tanzel Smart are all healthy scratches, as well.

Kyler Murray was listed as questionable for this game against the Rams, but he’s officially active. The only notable inactive for Arizona is wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, which means Andy Isabella could see some additional playing time.

Rams at Cardinals: Time, TV and streaming info for Week 13

How to watch the Rams-Cardinals matchup on Sunday.

The Rams and Cardinals will meet for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon, pitting Sean McVay against his friend Kliff Kingsbury. It’ll also be the Rams’ first taste of Kyler Murray, who joins the ranks of a very strong division of quarterbacks.

To get you ready for Week 13 of the regular season, we’ve compiled all the important game day information – from streaming options to the officiating crew on Sunday. 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 at Arizona Cardinals – Sunday, December 1 at 4:05 p.m. ET

TV channel: FOX

Live stream: fuboTV (try it free)

Radio: ESPN LA 710 AM

Location: State Farm Stadium

Forecast: Mostly cloudy, 60 degrees, 2 mph winds

Referee: Alex Kemp

Odds: Rams -2.5, over/under 47.5

NFL Week 13 picks: Who the experts are taking in Rams-Cardinals

Experts like the Rams, but not overwhelmingly.

The Los Angeles Rams are on the road Sunday, visiting the Arizona Cardinals for the first time all season. Coming off a demoralizing loss to the Ravens, the Rams need a win in the worst way possible.

A loss would sink them below .500 for the first time in the Sean McVay era, almost ensuring they won’t make the playoffs in the very competitive NFC race. They’re favored over the Cardinals, but it’s not a huge spread at only 2.5 points, which says a lot about the state of the Rams against a 3-7-1 team.

The experts still like Los Angeles, but not overwhelmingly. According to NFL Pick Watch, only 54% are picking the Rams to win this game straight-up.

Of all the games this week, that’s the tightest margin of expert picks in the league. The Cardinals are much better than their 3-7-1 record indicates, and they nearly beat the 49ers twice in the last month.

The Rams need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive and avoid an alarming downward spiral after starting the year 3-0.

Rams at Cardinals: Final score prediction for Week 13 matchup

The Rams will pull off a close victory on Sunday against the Cardinals.

Having gone 1-2 in their last three games, the Rams’ backs are squarely against the wall. At 6-6, Los Angeles has almost no room for error. Another loss on Sunday to the Cardinals would create a situation where the Rams need a miracle to happen in order for them to make the playoffs, while even a win will hardly move them close to securing a berth.

The Cardinals may be 3-7-1, but they’re one of the better sub-.500 teams in the NFL right now. Kyler Murray is having a great rookie season and takes care of the football better than most veterans. He’s hardly the reason the Cardinals have struggled this season, given the way he’s played.

His athleticism has been a challenge for opposing defenses, too, making plays through the air and as a runner. We all saw how Lamar Jackson dismantled the Rams defense on Monday night, and Murray presents similar issues for Los Angeles.

Of course, the Cardinals aren’t nearly as dangerous and talented as the Ravens are, but Murray makes this offense dangerous is mental errors are made against the run.

The Rams should win this game, even though it’s on the road. However, it’s nowhere near a certainty after seeing the way they’ve played lately and with Arizona nearly upsetting the 49ers twice.

As ugly as it’s been for the Rams in recent weeks, they’ll pull this one off and keep their season alive. They’ll start slow but the offense will find its groove and hold the Cardinals offense in check. The defense was playing well before the Ravens came along, and it’ll get back in that rhythm on Sunday afternoon.

It won’t be as high-scoring as some think it might be, but the Rams will win a close one on the road.

Final score prediction: Rams 24, Cardinals 21

Sean McVay: Aaron Donald’s stats are misleading but he can still improve

Aaron Donald certainly has things he can improve on, according to Sean McVay.

Aaron Donald has been one of the best overall players in the NFL the last few years, winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards. He led the league in sacks with 20.5 last season, which set an NFL record for a defensive tackle, but his numbers don’t look as impressive in 2019.

He has eight sacks in 11 games, which is still impressive for a DT but it isn’t what fans are used to after seeing him stuff the stat sheet last season.

Donald was shut out by the Ravens in Week 12, being held to just a tackle assist on the night. He didn’t get a single hit on Lamar Jackson, nor did he do much in the way of pressure. Sean McVay said Donald’s stats are misleading because of how much attention he draws.

Still, McVay believes Donald has room for improvement.

“Sometimes the stats can be misleading. I don’t think anybody on our team, really as a whole, played good enough to feel good about what occurred last week,” he said. “He certainly has things he can improve on. Then, sometimes there is an element of, all right, if they are paying a lot of attention and he’s dictating double teams, then it does free other guys up. Sometimes it’s about the play-ops that present themselves. More than anything, you look at your factor-ops from a defensive standpoint. He consistently grades extremely high on that, but that was a game our team as a whole, and I don’t think anybody can say that they were good enough last week.”

Donald remains one of the best players in the league and someone every offense has to be aware of. He can wreck a game with his ability to generate pressure and create negative plays, which is what makes him so good.

He’s still in contention for Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, which says everything you need to know about how well-respected and viewed he is by everyone.

Rams’ 3 biggest causes for concern against the Cardinals

The Rams are trying to avoid a second-straight loss.

The Rams are trying to avoid a two-game losing streak, which would effectively end any playoff hopes they still have. Coming off an embarrassing 45-6 loss to the Ravens, Los Angeles will face Kyler Murray and the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon on the road.

This is a winnable game for the Rams, but their offense has been abysmal lately and Arizona is better than it’s 3-7-1 record indicates. Here are the three biggest concerns for the Rams in Week 13.

Kyler Murray’s mobility

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Lamar Jackson gave the Rams fits last week and Murray is equally athletic and can turn broken plays into big ones for the Cardinals. That’s something Los Angeles has to be very wary of because Murray is playing extremely well right now and can beat a defense in several ways. The Cardinals don’t use nearly as much read-option as the Ravens do, but he’s always a threat to pull down the ball and run, and there will be several designed plays where Murray can use his legs.

If the Rams can’t find an answer for him like they couldn’t against Baltimore, the defense is going to be winded and struggle in a big way.

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Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen named to NFL100 All-Time Team

Two more Rams were added to the NFL100 All-Time Team.

Some of the best players in NFL history have worn the horns and played for the Rams, and that’s becoming evident with the league celebrating its 100th season. To commemorate 100 years of football, the NFL is creating an All-Time Team for 2019.

Eric Dickerson made the team at running back, this week, two other Rams were added to the list. Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones were both named to the NFL100 All-Time Team as two of the best defensive tackles in league history.

Olsen and Jones both played before sacks were an official stat, but they were each incredibly disruptive during their playing days. Jones only missed three games in his career with the Rams, while Olsen started all 208 games he played.

Olsen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982, while Jones made it two years prior in 1980.