Tag: la rams

Rams’ balance, ball distribution lifted them to an easy win over Cardinals

We take an inside look as to how ball distribution from the Rams was the main force behind their best offensive performance of the season.

The Sean McVay offense is truly a thing of beauty when all its pieces are healthy and operating at a top level. Having his allotment of weapons, Matthew Stafford put together a masterclass performance on Sunday, going 25-for-33 with 229 passing yards, four touchdowns, and only one interception as the Rams cruised to a 37-14 victory over the Cardinals.

The Rams had 457 yards of total offense. They welcomed back Kyren Williams, who picked up right where he left off as the running back from Notre Dame put together an astonishing 143 rushing yards on just 16 carries. Royce Freeman, not wanting to lose out on his opportunities, put together 77 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown from 13 carries.

However, Williams proved his worth as he added six receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns to go with his already impressive stat line. Williams was one of eight pass catchers on the day as Stafford and company moved the ball with ease.

The Rams’ biggest targets on the season, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, were basically non-factors Sunday, combining for seven receptions and 45 yards. Previously, there was an argument that prioritizing Nacua would be the path to opening up the offense. Perhaps it is actually Williams if we look at the stats.

The emergence of Tyler Higbee also played a huge factor. The tight end had five receptions, 29 yards and two touchdowns. His size, ability to create his own space and the attention he requires helps open up the run and pass game.

It’s nice to see everyone healthy and playing at a high level. Yes, it was the fledging Cardinals but after the last two months of play, having back-to-back division wins after the bye was desperately needed.

The Rams play one of the best defenses in the NFL next week in the Cleveland Browns. They will provide an accurate picture of how effective this offense truly is, but with Williams back and Freeman performing at a high level, I have confidence that the Rams will produce another winning effort.

Should the Rams be concerned about Frank Clark in Week 11 matchup?

We explore the potential issues that Frank Clark might inflict on the LA Rams offense on Sunday

Frank Clark is one of football’s many odd cases. He’s a really good player who often disappears, yet the Kansas City Chiefs can directly contribute their last two Super Bowls to the consistently dominating performances Clark put on in the playoffs.

In the middle of his ninth year in the NFL, Clark finds himself with the team that drafted him, the Seattle Seahawks. Coming over from Denver, Clark has yet to make an impact with the team. However, the man with 58.5 sacks is due for a big performance and the Rams might be in the right state of dysfunction for Clark to pull it off.

As we all know, the Rams’ offensive line has major issues and Clark’s arsenal of pass-rush moves is going to give him a bunch of opportunities to get into the backfield.

Clark loves to come off the edge, dip his shoulder, and take a perfect angle onto the QB. Sometimes Clark likes to throw in the jab step to throw the tackle off-balanced. He’ll also go inside to throw a tackle off from predicting his movements and he is always finding work.

The Rams need to pay attention to Clark. They should consider periodic double teams, chip blocks, or a consistent run game. I would run at Clark, make him tired, and exploit his fatigue. Whatever Sean McVay does, this problem might make or break the Rams’ fading playoff hopes.

Breaking down how Rams can best utilize Carson Wentz if he’s needed

If Carson Wentz is forced to play in place of Matthew Stafford this season, here’s how they should cater the offense to him

With the news coming out of Rams HQ that Carson Wentz has headed west, Sean McVay believes he has the QB that can steady the ship if Matthew Stafford is forced to more time this season due to injury. Wentz, the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, was scouted extensively by the Rams as they would end up taking Jared Goff first overall. Here’s how McVay and the Rams should use Wentz if he needs to fill in for Stafford.

First, let’s identify Wentz’s strengths and weaknesses. For his strengths, Wentz has a big arm, above-average athleticism, an excellent frame, fantastic height and a solid base. He can make off-schedule throws and his ability to make off-platform throws is second to Patrick Mahomes.

He is a coach’s dream QB from a physical aspect. As we all know, physical gifts aren’t only one part of a quarterback’s makeup. He has some glaring weaknesses that have become ever more amplified as he gets older. Wentz is terrible at deciphering coverages, oftentimes putting the ball into unnecessary danger. Wentz plays too much hero ball, to the detriment of several potential playoff runs. He holds the ball too long, a result of his impatience, spurred on by his propensity to search for the deep ball. Wentz will willingly throw the ball into double and sometimes triple coverage and he will do so by missing the open checkdown.

That’s a lot to digest I know but he does have major upside. He has over 22,000 passing yards, has a near 2.5-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and his career-worsts are directly correlated with career-highs in sacks and pressures. The Rams offensive line might not be the best but you can scheme protection.

Let’s talk Xs and Os. How do we put Wentz in the best position to succeed? We use his attributes in old-school, but positive ways. In a variety of ways, Wentz reminds me of Daryle Lamonica, known as the “Mad Bomber” for his continued use of the deep pass. In that era, QBs primarily played under center. I think the drop-back pass with scripted 3-step, 5-step or 7-step movements will allow Wentz to throw the deep pass only when McVay desires it. Wentz is forced to throw short or medium passes on the 3- and 5-step dropbacks so by equating a numerical value with a distance, it automatically programs Wentz’s mind to throw the distance desired.

Play Wentz under center. Limit his usage in shotgun. The shotgun formation is for gunslingers. Gunslingers have big arms but they also have speed, especially speed in decision-making – something Wentz does not have. Play Wentz under center to: one, get a good downhill running game going and two, to also use play action and rollouts off of as well.

Play action and rollouts play right into Wentz’s athletic gifts. Being under center allows Wentz to throw the quick screen as well, giving McVay another option to pick up quick, cheap yards.

You don’t want him in the shotgun. The shotgun is built for patient, accurate, intelligent, fast quarterbacks and Wentz has serious deficiencies in all of those categories. Also, don’t use read-option, RPO or any play design that’s going to require quick and precise breakdowns of a pre-snap and post-snap defense.

Utilize the pistol, as well. It’s very easy to run crossing routes under the pistol. One of my favorite offensive formations in football, the pistol was popularized by coach Chris Ault at Nevada. Ault used it with Colin Kaepernick to break a bunch of NCAA records as they won 13 games and a conference title in 2010. The reason it’s so effective is that it employs the 7-step drop back with shotgun snap speed, while being able to operate a downhill rushing attack that employs screen passes.

Screens are very effective in the pistol because you are able to throw the quick outside screen while still posing a deep threat if you want to run a fake fade with the slot. If desired, you can also run read-option off of the pistol but do not add in the passing option.

The three keys will be getting the ball out of Wentz’s hands quickly, limiting unnecessary risks and using him sparingly. This should return to a run-first, quick pass offense if Wentz is forced to start. Consider moving the pocket and pre-snap motions to assist with this. Do these things and Wentz will do great things for you.

Georgia football honors Stetson Bennett in his return to Athens

Former UGA football quarterback Stetson Bennett received a loud ovation upon returning to Sanford Stadium

The Georgia Bulldogs honored former star quarterback Stetson Bennett during the Ole Miss Rebels. Bennett appeared on the Sanford Stadium video board and received a significant amount of applause from a rowdy Georgia crowd.

Georgia recognized Bennett for winning the Burlsworth Trophy in 2022, which is awarded to the nation’s top walk-on. Bennett is a fan favorite for winning back-to-back national championships during his final two seasons at the University of Georgia.

It was good to see Bennett make a public appearance. The Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback has been absent from the Rams since being being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list Sept. 13.

Bennett, who was expected to be Los Angeles’ backup quarterback this year, is missing a golden opportunity to earn playing time and valuable experience because Rams’ starting quarterback Matthew Stafford has missed significant action with a thumb injury.

The 2023 fourth-round NFL draft pick does not have a defined return to the Los Angeles Rams. Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay shared an update on Bennett’s status a few weeks ago.

He’s doing well. I would say there’s really no updates in regard to him returning back with us. I’m not ready to say that he won’t be back with us at all this year, but it’s probably less likely than it is likely he would be.

Bennett will always be a legend in Georgia football circles for his epic performances in the College Football Playoff.

Rams coach Sean McVay updates Stetson Bennett’s status

Sean McVay updates if Stetson Bennett could return to the LA Rams this season

Los Angeles Rams rookie quarterback Stetson Bennett is still absent from the team after being being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list Sept. 13.

Bennett, who was expected to be Los Angeles’ backup quarterback this year, missed a golden opportunity to earn playing time and valuable experience last week against the Dallas Cowboys. Rams’ starting quarterback Matthew Stafford went down with a thumb injury and did not return for much of the second half.

Stafford is considered day-to-day with a UCL thumb sprain.

Minimal details were shared on why the former Georgia Bulldog and 2023 fourth-round pick was no longer present with the team.

“There are certain things that I think are a little bit bigger and more important, and out of respect for the particulars and the specifics, (I) want to be able to keep it in-house,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Sept. 13.

McVay shared an update on Bennett’s status on Monday. It seems like a 2023 return is unlikely.

He’s doing well. I would say there’s really no updates in regard to him returning back with us. I’m not ready to say that he won’t be back with us at all this year, but it’s probably less likely than it is likely he would be.

Stafford, the Rams starting quarterback and a former Georgia Bulldog, shared his support for Bennett last month.

Got a lot of love for Stetson. Appreciate him as a teammate, and (quarterback) Brett (Rypien) and I will roll with it as we go on.

While we are in the dark why Bennett isn’t with the team, Dawg Nation hasn’t forgotten its two-time national champion signal-caller.

Examining what went wrong with Rams offense in loss to Steelers

We take a look at the Rams’ offensive woes, highlighting the root causes behind their abysmal performance Sunday

As some Rams fans blame Brett Maher for leaving a potential game-tying seven points on the board in the 24-17 loss to the Steelers, some serious questions need to be asked about what happened on Sunday against Pittsburgh.

Though Maher’s two missed field goals from 53 and 51 yards, along with a missed extra point after Tutu Atwell’s touchdown, did contribute to the seven-point gap between the Steelers and the Rams, those misses were far from the reason why the Rams lost the game. The offense was out of sync, Cooper Kupp was uncharacteristically ineffective and despite two touchdowns, the Rams performed even worse than what the scoreline showed. But why?

One would think that the issues would stem from losing Ronnie Rivers and Kyren Williams to IR but backups Darrell Henderson Jr. (who was just signed seven days ago) and Royce Freeman did their jobs well. Combining for 127 rushing yards and a touchdown, they did what they needed to do to emulate the rushing success the Rams have had so far this season.

The reason the Rams struggled was due to two things: an inability to finish promising drives and Matthew Stafford continuously having to make plays on third-and-long. On 10 offensive drives, five in each half, the Rams had only one appearance in the red zone. That is completely unacceptable. In fact, the Rams only crossed Pittsburgh’s 30-yard line on three occasions. Their one trip to the red zone that culminated in a Henderson rushing touchdown, a Stafford prayer that was somehow hauled in by Atwell for a touchdown and the 41-yard made field goal by Maher. Crossing the Pitt 30 directly contributed to all of the Rams’ points.

Why did they only cross the 30 on three occasions? That leads us to the second and main point. The Rams shot themselves in the foot by putting themselves in multiple third-and-long situations. The Rams converted on third down 9 of 16 times. In those seven failed conversions, they had to gain yardage of 14, 5, 29, 4, 9, 3 and 10. On second down before those third down attempts, the Rams passed the ball five times. Three of those passes were incomplete and the other two were a 5-yard completion to Kupp and a 1-yard completion to Puka Nacua. The distance to go when they ran the ball was third-and-4, set up by a Freeman 5-yard run on second down and third-and-3, set up by a 4-yard run by Henderson. Now we’re starting to see a pattern.

Let’s look at the Rams’ nine third-down conversions. The Rams had to gain yardage of 1, 11, 11, 3, 3, 7, 1, 1 and 7. On those nine plays, the Rams ran the ball six times. When the Rams passed the ball, they were left with third-and-11, third-and-7, and third-and-1.

The reason the Rams lost Sunday was the play calling, which falls on Sean McVay. He did not have faith in his backup running backs despite their constant production. His offensive line did its job, the running backs did their job, but McVay didn’t do what he needed to do to put his team in an advantageous position. And it’s actually a bit deeper than that.

See, on the 16 third downs they faced, Stafford dropped back to pass 14 times. He targeted Cooper Kupp only twice. However, on second down, he targeted Kupp four times. All four of those drives led to four failed third down conversions with distances of 14, 5, 29 and 10.

Not only did McVay not run the ball enough on second down despite averaging 4.4 yards per carry, Stafford is sinking back into his old ways of only targeting Cooper Kupp.

The Steelers won today because the Rams’ Super Bowl heroes couldn’t get out of their own way. Despite Puka Nacua’s eight receptions for 154 yards, it is still the Cooper Kupp show as far as Stafford is concerned. This isn’t 2021. That won’t work anymore and until Stafford either changes habits he’s held on to for his entire career, Kupp will still get the bulk of the targets and the Rams will continue to lose.

Defensive coordinators know this, defenses know this and they’ve adjusted. How do I know? Well, for one, the numbers are right here to see, but on Stafford’s only interception on the day, he saw that Alex Highsmith was on Kupp. A clear mismatch for the Steelers. Except, T.J. Watt was also in coverage and read what Stafford saw. How? Stafford stared Kupp down from the snap and in one play, the Steelers made the pick that changed the game and got them the win.

McVay needs to change things up even if it means taking Kupp off of the field. Run the ball and the wins will come pouring back. Your team can do it but are you willing to call it? Only time will tell. Oh, and just to add insult to injury, on Stafford’s lone passing TD, he was actually targeting Kupp but underthrew the ball as he was on the run. The answer is clear. As incredible of a connection that Stafford and Kupp have been, it’s also been the detriment of the Rams in the post-Super Bowl era.

5 draft prospects for the Rams to watch this weekend

We take a look at five draft prospects that the Rams should take a close look at this weekend

Though we’re not even midway through the NFL season, the college football schedule is speeding toward its conclusion of the regular season. With that being said, it is never too early to begin scouting for the 2024 NFL draft. Since his hire in 2012, Les Snead has become notorious for the phrase “F them picks,” a phrase coined through the constant trading of the Rams’ first-round selections. As a matter of fact, the Rams 2024 first-round pick would be the first made by the Rams since they traded up for Jared Goff in 2016.

However, when you look at the makeup of this team, Snead has built a winner through quality Day 2 and 3 draft selections.

Here are 5 prospects the Rams should watch for this week.

Fantasy Football: Wide receiver starts and sits for Week 3

We look at the wide receiver position for Week 3 and let fantasy managers know which guys to start and which ones to leave on the bench

Starts and sits is here to help fantasy managers make those all important last minute lineup decisions .While we won’t tell you about obvious starts such as Christian McCaffrey or Justin Jefferson, we will find players you may be waffling about and help you make a decision.

Let’s look at wide receivers for Week 3.

Rams were ‘adamant’ about not trading Matt Stafford amid offseason fire sale

While Bobby Wagner, Jalen Ramsey and several other key players left Los Angeles, the team reportedly remained adamant about not trading Matt Stafford.

The Rams had little choice but to blow up their roster this past offseason as the bill came due from their all-in 2021 Super Bowl season. While Bobby Wagner, Jalen Ramsey and several other key players left Los Angeles, the team reportedly remained adamant about not trading Matt Stafford.

This comes via a report by Ian Rapoport at NFL.com, who says the Jets reached out about Stafford before they acquired Aaron Rodgers from the Packers. Apparently it was a short conversation.

“Talks between New York and Los Angeles were brief, simple and to the point. As two sources explained, the Rams were adamant Stafford wasn’t going anywhere. The talks between the two teams were more exploratory than anything else with L.A. showing no willingness to do a deal, but the Jets didn’t want to leave a stone unturned in their quest for a franchise QB.”

The Jets weren’t the only team to call about Stafford, though. It made some sense for the Rams to try to trade Stafford based on his age (he’s 35 years old heading into the 2023 season) and what’s now a pretty extensive history of minor injuries. He missed half of last year with several different issues and wasn’t himself when he was on the field. However, Stafford still represents their best chance to remain relatively competitive in a division with two teams that are clearly superior.

If Stafford does get injured again, the Rams will likely look to former Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett. He’s unavailable for today’s game against the Seahawks, though due to a shoulder injury.

More Seahawks Wire stories

8 things to know going into Week 1

4 best prop bets for the Seahawks

Social media reacts to Stetson Bennett’s NFL debut

Former UGA football quarterback Stetson Bennett made his NFL debut in the same place where he ended his college football career.

Former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett made his NFL preseason debut in the same place his college football career ended.

Bennett’s return to SoFi Stadium, which was where he won the national championship against TCU, went pretty well. Bennett did not put up monster numbers like he did in Georgia’s 65-7 national championship victory. However, he was efficient and effective.

Bennett completed 17 of 29 pass attempts for 191 passing yards and a touchdown. Bennett helped the Los Angeles Rams go on three scoring drives. He had a few passes that were nearly intercepted, but he bounced back.

Here’s how social media reacted to Stetson Bennett’s NFL debut: