Category: Latest Rams news

Eric Weddle could tell Rams ‘a lot of stuff’ about Ravens, but won’t

Eric Weddle knows a lot about the Ravens, but he’s not going to tell the Rams anything.

Eric Weddle is one of the smartest players in the NFL. He’s also one of the most well-respected across the league, specifically with his former and current teammates. He earned that reputation with his play on the field and displaying loyalty off it.

His loyalty seems to have gone too far for some Rams fans, though, with Los Angeles playing Weddle’s former team on Monday night. The safety said back in August that he won’t share any of the Ravens’ secrets with the Rams, which angered fans in L.A.

There was some hope that he’d change his mind with this being such a monumental game for the Rams, but that’s not the case. He doubled-down on keeping his knowledge of the Rams’ scheme to himself Wednesday, saying he won’t give the Rams anything.

“There’s nothing that needs to be said, outside of, I could tell them a lot of stuff, but that’s just not who I am,” Weddle said, via the team’s website. “We’re going to play it on the field and the best team’s going to win, but they all know what I’m about.”

It all comes down to respect for Weddle. He built a strong relationship with players and coaches in Baltimore during his three years there, and he’s not going to turn his back on them – despite the fact that the team cut him this offseason.

It might seem a bit extreme to some fans, but the connection with Baltimore goes deep for Weddle.

“I said it whenever I did that last interview, I have a lot of respect for that place,” Weddle said. “Not only how it helped my career and rejuvenated my career, and how they treated myself and my family, but it’s a very tight-knit group. What kind of man would I be if I just turned my back on all of them?”

Sean McVay was asked about Weddle’s decision during Wednesday’s press conference, and it’s no surprise that he respects his decision. McVay said “it’s a small demonstration of why he’s a special guy,” understanding why he wouldn’t want to share intel on his former teammates.

“I think what you respect about Eric is he’s one of those guys that you pick his brain just because you want to talk some football. But in terms of some of the intricacies, I think he’s got a lot of loyalty to those guys even if he’s not there anymore,” he said. “And I think those are things that I think he would probably say, ‘I like talking ball with you,’ but I don’t want to do something that takes away from his ability to try to unfairly give information with the Ravens and I know that’s something that he’s communicated. So I haven’t talked to him about it.”

Kickoff between the Rams and Ravens will be on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET, with the Rams trying to get their seventh win of the season.

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Sean McVay weighs in on Eric Weddle’s decision to keep Ravens’ secrets

Eric Weddle won’t give away anything on his former team, and Sean McVay respects that.

When Eric Weddle signed with the Rams, one of the first games he probably circled on the schedule was a matchup with his former team, the Ravens. It was always going to be an intriguing matchup, but with Baltimore 8-2 and looking like one of the best teams in the NFL thanks to Lamar Jackson, the implications of this game have been heightened – especially for the 6-4 Rams.

Weddle knows the Ravens better than anyone outside their locker room, but Sean McVay and Wade Phillips shouldn’t expect any inside information from their starting safety. He said back in August that he won’t share any of his former team’s secrets – a startling revelation to Rams fans everywhere.

“I can’t give all the secrets away. Those are my guys. I can never turn my back on my guys over there,” Weddle told Andy Benoit in a film breakdown video. “Coach McVay knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t need much.”

Weddle respects his former teammates too much to give away secrets about their scheme.

“What kind of man would I be if I rat out my guys that I played three years with?” Weddle asked. “I cherish every relationship I made on that defense, on that team. The minute I say, ‘Here are all of their calls’ or ‘here are the checks to this,’ then what am I at the end of the day? I lose everything that I gained from there. And that means more to me than anything.”

McVay was asked by reporters on Wednesday if he’ll pick Weddle’s brain this week in advance of their Week 12 matchup with the Ravens. McVay knows Weddle said in the past that he won’t share any inside details about Baltimore’s scheme, and the coach respects that.

“I think what you respect about Eric is he’s one of those guys that you pick his brain just because you want to talk some football. But in terms of some of the intricacies, I think he’s got a lot of loyalty to those guys even if he’s not there anymore,” he said. “And I think those are things that I think he would probably say, ‘I like talking ball with you,’ but I don’t want to do something that takes away from his ability to try to unfairly give information with the Ravens and I know that’s something that he’s communicated. So I haven’t talked to him about it.”

McVay was then asked whether that would be regarded as unfair.

“I think this, it’s totally at each person’s individual approach. I think with his reasoning, I think it’s a small demonstration of why he’s a special guy. But we’ll talk some ball, we’ve talked before. Maybe I already asked those questions in the free-agent visit, he just didn’t realize it,” McVay said, smiling.

Schemes change every year and there are certainly differences between what the Ravens did last year when Weddle was there and what they’re doing now. In reality, there probably isn’t much of an advantage Weddle can give the Rams, because players still have to go out and execute the plays called.

Monday night will mostly come down to stopping Jackson, and if the Rams can’t do that, they’re going to be in for a long night – regardless of what Weddle might (or might not) tell them.

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Robert Woods still away from team, status for Week 12 unclear

Robert Woods is still away from the team for a personal matter, and his status for Monday night is uncertain.

Robert Woods was a last-minute scratch from the Week 11 lineup on Sunday night when it was announced that he was tending to a personal matter. The Rams haven’t disclosed anything on the situation out of respect for Woods, with Sean McVay sharing very little on the wideout.

On Wednesday, McVay did open his press conference with an update on Woods. He remains away from the team and it’s unclear when he could return.

“Robert Woods is still handling his family matter. He will not be here today,” McVay said.

As for whether Woods will play on Monday night against the Ravens, that’s to be determined. McVay was asked when Woods would need to return to the team by in order to play this week, but the coach wouldn’t give a firm answer.

He did acknowledge that Woods’ experience helps, and that he’d likely be able to play on a short week of practice.

“That’s one of those things that I’d rather be able to talk to Robert, kind of just see. Most importantly is the family stuff always comes first. That’s our priority, and that’s what he’s taking care of and then we’ll worry about the football stuff a little bit later,” McVay said. “I don’t want to put a finite answer on that. He is a guy that because of what a savvy player [he is], his experience, how smart he is – I do think he’s one of the guys that does have the ability to play on a short week, but you certainly don’t want to minimize the importance of the preparation throughout the week.”

Woods is a key part of the offense, both as a receiver and blocker. He was missed on Sunday night against the Bears, as his absence was likely part of the reason the Rams only opted to throw the ball a season-low 18 times.

The Rams will be getting some help at wide receiver this week, though. Brandin Cooks, who has missed the last two games with a concussion, will play against the Ravens.

“Brandin Cooks is back. He’s excited about being able to play. He’s felt good for a couple weeks. When he’s feeling good and we’ve gotten the thumbs up from everybody else, that makes us all feel good. He’s going to play and we’re excited about that.”

The Rams host the Ravens on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET at the Coliseum.

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Rams’ new-look defense will be tested by 3 MVP candidates in next 4 weeks

If the Rams are going to make the playoffs, they’re going to earn it by facing three MVP frontrunners.

There’s no denying how well the Los Angeles Rams defense has played in the last four games. Defensively, they rank first in points allowed (44), first in rushing yards allowed (644) seventh in passer rating against (78.9), fifth in sacks (16) and seventh in third-down conversion percentage (31.7%).

Yet, it’d be unfair to mention those numbers without saying which quarterbacks they’ve faced in that span. The last four quarterbacks to take the field against the Rams are Matt Ryan, Andy Dalton, Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky. Of those four, only Matt Ryan is having a decent season, and Dalton has since been benched.

Things are about to change dramatically in the next four weeks, though. The Rams’ new-look defense with Jalen Ramsey and Troy Hill as the starting cornerbacks will be tested by three MVP candidates and another dynamic quarterback in the next month.

It all begins with Lamar Jackson on Monday night, followed by matchups with Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott. Jackson, Wilson and Prescott are considered the front-runners to win NFL MVP, and while Murray isn’t in the running, he’s one of the more difficult quarterbacks to defend because of his mobility and speed.

The combined numbers of those four quarterbacks are absolutely outstanding this season, especially compared to those of the previous four quarterbacks the Rams have faced. Jackson, Murray, Wilson and Prescott have combined for 77 touchdown passes and only 21 interceptions, with each completing at least 64.6% of their passes. Wilson and Prescott are Nos. 1 and 2 in touchdown passes, while Jackson and Murray have more rushing yards than any other quarterbacks in the league. Jackson is 10th among all players, and Murray is 26th.

From the previous group of Ryan, Rudolph, Dalton and Trubisky, only Ryan ranks in the top 20 in passing yards. Together, the four have combined for 48 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions, and only Ryan has completed more than 62.4% of his passes.

The Rams defense has deservingly received a lot of praise for the way it has played since acquiring Ramsey, but there hasn’t exactly been a quarterback to challenge the Rams much lately.

Now, the Rams will have to face three teams that rank in the top six in yards, and four teams that are in the top 10 in scoring. For comparison, the Steelers, Bears, Bengals and Falcons all rank 20th or lower in scoring.

If the Rams are going to make the postseason and potentially contend for a title, they’re going to have to earn it in the next four weeks.

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Rams vs. Ravens: 5 things to know for Week 12 matchup

Five important facts and stats to know for Monday night’s game.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams will face their toughest test of the season on Monday night when they take on the Baltimore Ravens at the Coliseum. Los Angeles needs a win to keep pace in the NFC playoff race, while Baltimore is trying to move closer to securing an AFC North crown.

This is a rare matchup between these two teams, but it’s sure to be an exciting one. There are ties all over the place, with Marcus Peters being traded by the Rams to the Ravens this year, Eric Weddle facing his former team, and Kenny Young playing against the team that traded him last month.

Here are five things to know for Monday’s showdown in Los Angeles.

Both defenses dominating since Ramsey, Peters trades

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams sent Marcus Peters to the Ravens before the trade deadline, acquiring Jalen Ramsey later on that day. They were both stunning moves, but the Rams and Ravens have each benefitted from the trades. Since Peters and Ramsey made their debuts in Week 7, the Rams and Ravens have elevated their play on defense significantly.

The Rams are first in points allowed (44) in their last four games, while the Ravens are second (56). The Rams’ point differential in that span is only plus-46, and Baltimore’s is plus-101 – 47 points better than the next-closest team.

The Ravens have allowed a passer rating of just 69.6 in their last four games, second-best in the NFL, and the Rams are seventh at 78.9.

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Rams bring back John Kelly, sign him to practice squad

After waiving John Kelly on Saturday, the Rams brought him back on the practice squad.

Needing wide receiver help, the Los Angeles Rams promoted Nsimba Webster to the active roster over the weekend. To make room for him, they opted to waive running back John Kelly from the 53-man roster.

No one claimed Kelly off waivers, which gave the Rams the chance to bring him back – and they did. According to the NFL transaction wire, Kelly was re-signed to the practice squad on Tuesday.

Kelly was a sixth-round pick by the Rams in 2018 and has struggled to get on the field behind Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown and now Darrell Henderson. He’s appeared in seven games for Los Angeles the last two years, carrying it 30 times for 83 yards, while also catching two passes for 27 yards.

The rams now have four running backs between the active roster and practice squad again, giving them good depth (and youth) at the position.

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Aaron Donald named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

It’s the first time Donald has won the award this season.

Aaron Donald has won consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards and is on track to compete for a third straight. Though he’s not stuffing the stat sheet like he usually does, he’s still having an outstanding season.

He was recognized for his play against the Bears on Sunday, being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He had two sacks, two tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and a pass deflection in the Rams’ 17-7 win over Chicago.

It’s the first time Donald has been named Defensive Player of the Week this season. He won the award twice last season, once in 2016 and twice in 2015. Surprisingly, he wasn’t named Defensive Player of the Week once in 2017 despite winning Defensive Player of the Year.

This season, Donald has eight sacks, 16 QB hits and a league-high 16 tackles for loss. He’s among the top candidates to win Defensive Player of the Year, but he’ll need to keep up this level of play the rest of the way.

PFF’s highest-graded Rams from Week 11 win over Bears

Josh Reynolds led the way on offense, while Aaron Donald had the highest defensive grade.

Since acquiring Jalen Ramsey, the Rams defense has been lights out. They’ve allowed just 30 points in their last four games, becoming one of the best defenses in the league. That showed once again on Sunday night against the Bears as they held Chicago to only seven points.

The Rams offense wasn’t nearly as great, but it got the job done in the 17-7 win. It was mostly thanks to a strong game by Todd Gurley, who finally touched the ball more than 20 times in a game this season.

Pro Football Focus released its five highest-graded offensive and defensive players for the Rams from Sunday’s win, and Josh Reynolds led the way for the offense.

On defense, it was unsurprisingly Aaron Donald who topped the list, but Sebastian Joseph-Day also put together a great performance in front of his parents; it was their first time watching him in person.

Jared Goff earned a respectable grade of 75.1 despite putting up unimpressive numbers. Mike Thomas did drop one pass which would’ve gone for a 20-plus-yard gain, and a 51-yard touchdown was called back due to a pre-snap infraction, so those plays impacted his stat line.

The Rams got great play out of their cornerbacks, including Jalen Ramsey, who was not listed in the top five on defense.

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Rams call Ravens the best team, Lamar Jackson the best player in NFL

The Rams know just how tough this matchup with the Ravens will be.

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Having played four teams at or below .500 in their last four games, the Los Angeles Rams haven’t exactly been tested in recent weeks. They’ve gone 3-1 in that stretch, but the last playoff contender they faced was the 49ers in Week 6.

If they’re looking for a test – a measuring-stick game, if you will – they’ll get one on Monday night at the Coliseum. The Ravens are coming to town, being viewed by many as the best team in the league. They’ve won each of their last four games by at least 14 points, including victories over the Seahawks, Patriots and Texans.

The Rams know their next game is going to be a challenge, saying as much after their win over the Bears on Sunday. Eric Weddle tweeted his excitement over their Week 11 win, while simultaneously calling the Ravens the best team in the league.

Todd Gurley didn’t praise the Ravens to the extent that Weddle did – he did say “they’re looking like one of the best teams in the league – but he did throw a huge compliment Lamar Jackson’s way. He called the second-year quarterback the best player in the NFL right now and compared him to Michael Vick, who was at the Coliseum on Sunday.

“Best player in the league right now,” he told reporters. “He’s killing it. We had Vick here today and he’s the next thing closest to him. I mean, he’s amazing. Super proud of him.”

Clay Matthews was asked in the locker room if he’s excited to face Jackson on Monday night. His sarcastic response says everything you need to know about how he feels.

“Am I excited?” he said with a smile. “Any time you get to face an elite opponent, it’s not fun when they’re making plays against you, but it’s fun to have that opportunity to go against them, test your prowess and see who comes out on top. They’re playing very well, he’s playing outstanding and you’re right, obviously a front-runner in the MVP race.”

This will undoubtedly be the Rams’ toughest test yet, and they’re well aware of just how difficult an opponent the Ravens will be.

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Watch: Jalen Ramsey mic’d up vs. Bears, talks trash to everyone

Jalen Ramsey talked trash to everyone on Sunday night and was mic’d up for it all.

Jalen Ramsey is not one to ever shy away from a challenge. On Sunday night against the Bears, he was tasked with covering Allen Robinson, who he was teammates with in Jacksonville for several years.

Ramsey put together one of his better performances of the season, helping limit Robinson to just 15 yards on four catches. Ramsey could be seen talking trash after several plays, and thanks to the Rams wiring him for sound, we’re able to hear some of the things he was saying.

Ramsey could be heard yelling to Robinson, “Big stop A-Rob! Just like we used to do in practice, boy!” On another double-move by Robinson, Ramsey threw shade by saying “that double-move was not it, A-Rob.”

He then told one of his teammates on the bench, “it was so weak.”

Later in the video, Ramsey was in coverage against Taylor Gabriel, who’s 5-foot-7. After the pass fell incomplete, Ramsey yelled to Gabriel, “Get your little [expletive] back over there.”

“We’re not playing with these kids,” Ramsey said to another Ram. “We’re not playing with nobody’s children today.”

The highlight of the video was Ramsey muttering to himself, “That would’ve been a pick. Can’t believe he looked this way.”