Tag: rams news

Rams expect to have Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson vs. Dolphins on Monday

Sean McVay shared the latest updates on Steve Avila and Jonah Jackson, who are expected to be activated off IR

Rookie sensation Steve Avila’s sophomore campaign got off to an awful start after suffering a knee injury in the season opener against Detroit. Having been placed on injured reserve, Avila has spent the majority of this season in rehab.

The same goes for Jonah Jackson, who injured his shoulder in Week 2 and has been on injured reserve ever since.

The Rams opened Avila and Jackson’s 21-day practice window this week as both players returned to the field, and “there’s a good chance” they’ll be in the starting lineup on Monday night, Sean McVay said Saturday.

With Avila and Jackson’s return, it poses a strategic good problem for Sean McVay and his staff for the rest of the season. Avila’s injury, alongside the injury suffered by Jackson, paved the way for Beaux Limmer to become the Rams’ starting center.

Limmer has been another rookie sensation but at the risk of hurting Avila’s development and/or Jackson’s play time, are the Rams going to bench their current, consistent starting center?

Another point of intrigue is where the two starters fit into the lineup. Kevin Dotson has his guard position locked down so it looks likely that Avila and Jackson would take the other guard and center spot over Limmer.

If that is the case, who plays center? Avila was reported to have been taking the first-team center snaps throughout training camp but at the last minute, Jackson was named the starting center. If the Rams had trust in either man, wouldn’t they have practiced with the intended Week 1 starter throughout camp? If Avila was intended to be the starter, isn’t that an indication that he couldn’t do the job?

It remains to be seen where each player will line up.

“You’ll see on Monday,” McVay said when asked where Avila and Jackson will play. “Honestly, we’re working through it. There are a lot of different moving parts, especially as it relates to the offensive line but it is good to be able to have those guys back in the mix.”

It will be interesting to see how this folds out but unless something happens within the next 24 hours, Avila and Jackson should be on the field for the Rams.

Puka Nacua was fined $5,424 for punching Seahawks defender in Week 9

Puka Nacua was hit with a fine for punching a Seahawks linebacker last week, which got him ejected from the game

Puka Nacua headed to the locker room early last Sunday after he punched Seahawks linebacker Tyrell Dodson during the second quarter. Nacua’s ejection came with less than a minute remaining in the first half, displaying some uncharacteristic behavior that Sean McVay called a “learning opportunity.”

On a pass headed toward Nacua, Matthew Stafford was intercepted by Tariq Woolen. While Woolen was attempting to return the ball, Dodson pushed Nacua despite both men no longer being involved in the play and Nacua responded with a right jab to Dodson’s helmet.

In addition to being ejected, the NFL handed down another punishment punishment as Nacua’s paycheck took a slight deduction. He was fined $5,424 for the incident.

Nacua avoided a suspension and as a first-time offender, he faces a lighter fine compared to what the NFL has handed out in recent cases.

Matthew Stafford ready for ‘big challenge’ of facing former Rams CB Jalen Ramsey

See what Matthew Stafford said about Jalen Ramsey ahead of their matchup on Monday night, which is just their 2nd meeting as opponents

Matthew Stafford has had his fair shares of battles against star DBs, who have impacted the overall performance of the offense throughout his career. However, arguably his most difficult challenges came during the week of preparation instead of on Sundays.

While most teams shiver at the thought of playing against seven-time Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey, Stafford had to face the future Hall of Fame cornerback every day in practice. As they say, iron sharpens iron and Stafford’s daily duels with Ramsey resulted in both players being victorious in Super Bowl LVI.

While the Rams’ cap situation saw their time as teammates come to an end, it’s all love for Stafford heading into this week’s game against Ramsey and the Dolphins – his first game against the former Rams corner.

“I practiced against him for a while there. I have so much respect for who he is as a player and a teammate,” Stafford said of Ramsey. “He affects the game in so many different ways, even if a lot of times guys are staying away from him. It’s basically a one for one that he’s taking away out there. He’s doing a heck of a job like he always does. He’s mixing it in there in the run game, finishing plays, blitzing, sacking the quarterback and getting a tipped interception last week. He’s doing all the things you want from Jalen Ramsey and I got a ton of respect for him. I had an amazing time playing with him as a teammate and that’ll be a big challenge for us come Monday night.”

Ramsey is now 30 years old but it doesn’t seem like his athleticism has declined at all.

“It still jumps off the tape,” Stafford said of Ramsey’s athleticism. “Some of the plays that he makes down the field, tracking the football, blitzing the quarterback, batting balls down or whatever it is, he’s still got all the tools that you would want at a corner. I remember watching him when he was in college, doing all the stuff he did, and just tracking his career. He has been an incredible player for a long time and is still doing it at a high level.”

Against Buffalo last week, Ramsey recorded his first interception of the season as the Dolphins look reenergized by the return of Tua Tagovailoa. With two of the more established passers in the NFL set to duel, it will be very interesting how Stafford and Sean McVay counter the problems created by Ramsey, especially if they need to put up points in a hurry.

Report: Puka Nacua (knee) expected to play vs. Seahawks

According to one report, WR Puka Nacua was on the team plane that left Saturday afternoon and is expected to play on Sunday.

The Rams left Los Angeles today as the team is set to do battle against the Seahawks on Sunday. Entering the game with the potential to be the top team in the NFC West, the Rams got good news as star receiver Puka Nacua is expected to play, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

As mentioned above, Nacua was on the flight to Seattle and the Rams listed him as questionable on Friday’s injury report. Nacua suffered a slight injury to his knee on Thursday, the same knee he injured in the Rams’ Week 1 matchup against Detroit.

Rams head coach Sean McVay has downplayed the severity of the injury, stating that there was nothing structurally wrong with it and quite frankly, until Nacua plays full-contact football, his availability will be on a play-by-play basis.

However, this is a positive sign, especially for a team that is just finding its stride.

How Rams’ loss to Mike Macdonald’s Ravens last year could help them beat Seahawks

The Rams lost to the Ravens last year, but that game gave them plenty of film to study before facing Mike Madconald’s Seahawks on Sunday

When the Rams visited Baltimore during the 2023 season, the offense faced one of the best defenses in the NFL. Mike Macdonald, the current Seattle Seahawks head coach, coordinated the Ravens D, a defense that had four All-Pros on its roster.

During the game, Macdonald, whose Seahawks are set to welcome the Rams on Sunday, gave the team a lot of film to analyze. The Macdonald defense is a zone-based shell defense that prioritizes stopping the run and keeping the ball in front of the secondary. He does this through a multitude of different defensive looks, utilizing his linebackers and hybrid defenders such as Kyle Hamilton to disrupt passing lanes up the middle.

The Rams should be able to take away several lessons from that game. Macdonald called a series of tendencies that constantly showed up throughout the game.

On third down, he’d stack his linebackers at the line of scrimmage to confuse the QB on whether he was bringing the blitz or dropping his backers into coverage. Most times, they bail out but considering the Seahawks acquired former Rams linebacker Ernest Jones, Macdonald may blitz him to send a message.

Macdonald also calls blitzes in the red zone, especially when the QB is in the shotgun. He’ll use his defenders to eliminate check-downs to the tight end and running back, so having a slot receiver hot read in the red zone is a must.

Macdonald rarely has more than two interior defensive linemen on the field as he expects his linebackers to blow up gaps on runs. As a result, on rushing plays, the linebackers crash hard. Running a trap blocking scheme could give Kyren Williams a clear path to the end zone.

Lastly, Macdonald likes to run man coverage in the red zone. Pre-snap motion in the red zone is a must as the Rams will struggle to find an advantageous matchup against Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, so diagnosing who they’re covering is key to victory.

Rams WR Puka Nacua left practice with a knee injury, status for Week 9 unclear

Puka Nacua left Thursday’s practice early with a knee injury and was unable to do his scheduled press conference

Puka Nacua’s comeback may have been put on hold after the star wide receiver suffered a knee injury during Thursday’s practice.

Nacua, who was set to speak to the media, had to cancel his appearance due to the injury. According to Rams reporter Stu Jackson, Nacua will be listed as a limited participant on the Rams’ injury report, calling into question his availability for this weekend.

Nacua missed five games this season with a knee injury, forcing the Rams to put him on IR. At this point, it is unclear what caused Nacua’s injury but it’s obviously a concern for the Rams as they battle for first place in the NFC West when they travel to Seattle on Sunday.

The last time the Rams played in Seattle, it was Nacua’s NFL debut where he put up 10 receptions for 119 yards.

Jared Verse is separating himself as the clear Defensive Rookie of the Year

Jared Verse is already making a name for himself in Hollywood. With his performance, a major accolade should be headed his way.

Defensive Rookie of the Year is an award reserved for the most impactful first-year player in the NFL. Given to the player who combines youthful vigor, enthusiasm for football and developed gifts into a standout season, winning such an award can sometimes be a precursor to a Hall of Fame career.

Edge rushers who have won this award include Micah Parsons, Nick and Joey Bosa, Terrell Suggs, and Lawrence Taylor. All of those men exemplify the same skills and desires possessed by Jared Verse.

Seeking to become the Rams’ first Defensive Rookie of the Year since Aaron Donald in 2014, Verse is well on his way to joining Donald and LB Isiah Robertson as the only Rams to win the heralded award.

Verse is currently tied with Edgerrin Cooper for the most sacks by a rookie this season but is the stand-alone leader in tackles for loss. He also ranks first among rookie edge defenders in tackles.

Verse has wreaked havoc in opposing backfields. This was made even more evident last Thursday when Verse put up 1.5 sacks and three total tackles in a victorious effort against Minnesota.

Verse on film and from a statistical standpoint is the best rookie pass rusher in the NFL. There’s no dominant rookie corner and outside of Edgerrin Cooper and perhaps Laiatu Latu, there’s no rookie that comes close to making the type of impact that Verse has on football games.

Verse has recorded a tackle for loss and a pressure win rate above 20 percent in five games this season. He is the only rookie to do so. Verse has also averaged nearly five QB pressures per game, totaling 32 this season – a number that leads all other rookie edge rushers by 15, per PFF.

Verse is the only defensive rookie that is undeniably dominating in the NFL. He’s so dominant that the Vikings had to redesign their protection schemes around what Verse could do.

Verse has a perfect blend of speed and power rush moves to throw blockers off balance and his ever-improving play against the run caps off the clear reasons why he should be – and will be – the 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Keep in mind that Verse is on pace to eclipse every statistical mark 2023 winner Will Anderson Jr. recorded last season outside of interceptions.

Sean McVay comments on the challenges of facing Brian Flores’ defense

Sean McVay spoke about the difficulty that comes with facing Brian Flores’ aggressive defenses, which the Rams will see on Thursday

Brian Flores, a student from the Bill Belichick school of defense, has called some of the best defensive units of the past 10 years. Flores cut his teeth with Belichick and added to his arsenal when he spent the 2022 season as an assistant to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

The proof is in the pudding as Flores’ Vikings defense ranks among the best in the NFL. Thursday night’s matchup presents a chess match for Sean McVay and Flores. Like two generals on opposite sides of an ever-evolving battlefield, every play, every personnel grouping, and every result will be analyzed and questioned.

Entering this duel, McVay was asked for his thoughts on Flores and his defense.

“He’s a great coach and this goes back to going against him for a handful of years,” McVay said. “There’s a clear-cut identity. There’s an understanding of what offenses are trying to do, his ability to be able to create a bunch of conflict with moving parts with guys that can play in a variety of spots, having 11 guys but dispersing them differently and being able to put pressure on you offensively. He does as good a job as there is. I’ve been really impressed. We’re still in the early parts of the preparation, but you see why all the accolades have been thrown his way and this defense’s way through the first six weeks. They’re outstanding.”

Flores is different from other defensive coordinators as he’s aggressive, wanting to impose his will over offenses instead of being reactionary. That’s done with blitz packages, which put the offense in a bind.

“I think it’s fair. I think there’s a lot of stuff that you’re looking at,” he said. “He understands the tendencies or the different things that offenses might be looking for. He does a great job from a self-scout perspective of being able to change those things up so you have to be really sound with your rules. You have to understand how you want to distribute the field and how you want to target certain things as it relates to protection or in the run game. He’s excellent. He’s got some movable pieces that have some versatile skill sets that can create that conflict that they’re looking to do and it’s been incredibly successful, really for him wherever he’s been as a defensive coach. It’s especially on display this year.”

McVay finished his commentary on Flores by sharing what it takes to play well against his type of defense.

“I think it forces you to be sound, play rules ball like what you’re talking about, be really disciplined and make sure that you’re on the screws because they’re attacking,” McVay added. “They’re taking it to you. They’re doing a great job with that. So you have to have counters and answers for all the things that you’re talking about and it definitely creates a lot of challenges. You’ve to be ready to see the game live as it kind of unfolds and your players have to be able to do the same thing.”

As McVay mentioned, he and Flores have faced off a number of times, most notably in Super Bowl LIII, when Flores served as the Patriots’ de facto defensive coordinator. The Patriots held the Rams to three points and 260 yards of total offense in their win over Los Angeles.

NFL trade rumors: 49ers unlikely to have shot at best WR on market

The San Francisco 49ers may need to trade for a WR, but the best available player is probably not in their reach.

Brandon Aiyuk’s season-ending knee injury puts the San Francisco 49ers firmly in the front of the line for teams in need of wide receiver help.

They may look to find that help in the trade market, but the best available wide receiver may not be a player they’re able to get.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on Tuesday reported the Los Angeles Rams are open to trading star WR Cooper Kupp, and they may be willing to take on some of his salary to execute the trade.

It’s hard to find a deal that makes more sense for the 49ers from a football and financial standpoint. Kupp, 31, is an outstanding, versatile WR who would fit in any offense, much less one as loaded as San Francisco’s. He’d also give quarterback Brock Purdy a reliable go-to target in the short and intermediate areas of the field.

He’d be affordable too, especially since the Rams are willing to take on some of his salary.

The overarching problem here is the Rams are in the NFC West and intra-division trades rarely happen, especially when they involve a player of Kupp’s caliber.

San Francisco might have a shot if there weren’t other WR-needy teams that might be willing to unload a second-round pick (or more) for Kupp. The Pittsburgh Steelers could use help at WR. So could the Kansas City Chiefs. Both of those clubs are not only not in the division, they’re not even in the conference.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another club that may now be in need of a top-end WR following injuries to their top two receivers in Week 7.

Fortunately for the 49ers there should be a handful of quality receivers available for trade that can help them make up for Aiyuk’s absence. They’re just unlikely to be in the mix for perhaps the best trade target at the deadline.

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Matthew Stafford raves about Raiders star Maxx Crosby: ‘He’s an incredible player’

Matthew Stafford had nothing but great things to say about Maxx Crosby, calling him an “incredible player” with a relentless motor

Since being drafted in the fourth round in 2019, Maxx Crosby has been slowly building his resume as one of the biggest wrecking balls in the league. Crosby beats tackles to the outside with lightning speed and tremendous force when he goes inside.

He’s a stout run defender, a player who requires double-teams, and quite frankly, a quarterback’s worst nightmare. Ahead of the Rams-Raiders game on Sunday, Matthew Stafford spoke about what a disrupter Crosby can be.

“He’s an incredible player, to be honest with you,” Stafford said flatly. “He jumps off the tape. He’s in there on every single play, and his effort is relentless. He obviously has great skill, technique, and physical attributes as well, but he has the motor to go with it that’s as good or better than everybody that I’ve put on when I watch the tape. Really great competitor. We practiced against him a couple of times, and that same energy and effort was there. Overall, he’s an enjoyable guy to compete against. He’s intense out there, he loves playing the game, he loves competing and he’s a really good player.”

Crosby currently had 5.5 sacks on the season, adding to his career 57.5 sack total. Crosby hasn’t practiced yet this week due to an ankle injury and there are some who believe the Raiders could trade Mad Maxx the way they did with Davante Adams.

Stafford has been sacked 16 times this season and if Crosby plays on Sunday, it wouldn’t be a surprise if that number climbs higher.