Tag: Dante Fowler

Dante Fowler: Jaguars ‘literally hated me,’ wrongfully fined me over $700K

Dante Fowler Jr. was wrongfully fined 25 times for more than $700K by the Jaguars during his time there.

Dante Fowler Jr. and the Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t exactly have an amicable breakup when he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams last season. The Jaguars were clearly not happy with his on- or off-field performance, and he wasn’t thrilled with his role as a backup in Jacksonville.

There’s another layer to the split, though. this week, the NFLPA won an arbitration grievance against the Jaguars for requiring players to get treatment at the team’s facility. One player was fined 25 times for more than $700,000 for missing mandatory treatments, which were not actually required.

Fowler confirmed on Twitter that he was the player fined 25 times, saying the team hated him.

In the NFLPA’s statement, the association took a direct shot at the Jaguars and warned players about signing with Jacksonville.

Fowler was drafted third overall by the Jaguars in 2015. He was never a full-time starter with them, making just one start in three-plus seasons; he missed his rookie year due to injury.

He has since become a key player for the Rams, starting 18 of a possible 22 games since coming to L.A.

5 takeaways from the Rams’ 16-point victory against Seattle

The Los Angeles Rams took care of the Seattle Seahawks in a must-win game on Sunday Night Football. Here are a few takeaways from the big win.

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Rams took care of business against the Seattle Seahawks in dominant fashion on Sunday night. It was a must-win for the Rams, who remain a game out of a playoff spot in the NFC at 8-5. Here are five takeaways from the big 28-12 win.

Goff produces another stellar performance

Jared Goff was able to get back on track last week against Arizona after a fairly rocky season so far. Arizona’s pass defense is awful, so it was hard to decipher whether or not it was a return to form for Goff or simply a result of bad defense. After tonight’s performance, it feels like the former.

Goff once again shined against Seattle on a big stage, completing 22 of his 31 passing attempts for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Goff was particularly impressive out of the pocket, completing all seven of those passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. We were reminded why the Rams gave Goff a big payday this summer tonight.

Still, there was a brief stretch in the third quarter where Goff looked rough. He threw a pick-six thanks to a miscommunication on a pass to Robert Woods. The interception wasn’t entirely Goff’s fault, but he should know where Woods is heading on that play. A few plays later, with the ball on Seattle’s 37-yard line, Goff tossed a deep ball into double coverage that was intercepted. It wasn’t a shot Goff needed to take at the time.

One major takeaway from Goff’s two interceptions isn’t the interceptions themselves, but that he was able to come back from them. Goff threw a few nice passes following the turnovers, including a dime down the sideline that was dropped by Brandin Cooks and a great play-action rollout pass to Tyler Higbee deep in Rams’ territory. If Goff can continue to play like he did tonight for the remainder of the season, the Rams might actually find themselves playing in January.

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Scouting the Los Angeles Rams

A look at the Los Angeles Rams from a playcalling and tendency point of view ahead of Monday Night Football in Week 12

The Baltimore Ravens travel to Los Angeles to take on the Rams on Monday Night Football, as they continue their push for the postseason. This will be the seventh meeting between these two teams, but the first time that a game will be played in Los Angeles. The last time the Ravens went on to the road to face the Rams in 2011, the Rams called St. Louis home.

The Ravens own a 4-2 record against the Rams and have won each of the last three games between the two sides. Their last encounter was back in 2015 in a game the Ravens won 16-13 thanks to a Justin Tucker field goal from 47 yards out as time expired.

Let’s take a closer look at the Rams to better acquaint ourselves with what the Ravens are likely to see on Monday night.

Offense

Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams offense which took the league by storm in coach Sean McVay’s first two seasons has failed to hit these heights in 2019. The Kansas City Chiefs were the only team that scored more points and had more yards than the Rams in 2018. But the Rams are a lot closer to the middle of the pack this season. They are 13th in points scored and 15th in total offense. This is largely due to their failings in the run game, as they sit 21st in rushing yards against 7th in passing.

The Rams are predominantly an 11 personnel offense (three wide receivers, one running back and one tight end), and have lined up this way on 77% of their offensive plays this season. This is the second-highest rate in the NFL. They switch to 12 personnel (one back, two wide receivers and two tight ends) 15% of the time, the 8th lowest rate. The Rams like to run the ball out of 12, doing so on 69% of the time. They average only 3.3 yards per rush attempt, however, compared with 4.1 when they are in 11. The Rams average 7.4 yards per pass attempt in either formation.

From a play-calling point of view, the Rams are balanced between pass and run. They have a pass to run ratio of 1.53 this season, which is 17th in the NFL. The Rams slightly favor passing on 1st-and-10, but not by much. Their pass to run ratio in this scenario is 51-49.

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