Just a few random questions for this Thursday morning...

[Rams43]

In no particular order...

Will the excessive "rest" for so many Ram starters cause excessive rustiness? I think it's a legit question.

Can Tanzel Smart pinch hit for AD adequately? I'm cautiously optimistic about the "adequately" part.

Can Joyner be a quality FS or what? The PS games have not been overwhelming for him.

Is Quinn finally healthy? As in '13 and '14 healthy (and productive).

How will Wade's D perform on opening day? We all know what a great DC that Wade is, of course. But how will he scheme his D vs the Colts, exactly? Should be fun to watch, huh?

Will Barwin look "at home" in this Wade D? I'm guessing that he will be. I'm also guessing that he and Quinn will make this a very looooong afternoon for Tolzein.

Anybody else curious to see how Barron plays in this Wade D? I sure am. Could be anywhere from a quick looking tackling machine to a player overwhelmed by the run game. He's probably the player that I'm most unsure about his exact fit in this new D. Hope to be reassured in this Colt game.

Jamon Brown as our RG? Is he gonna be a quality starter anytime soon? Gawd! I sure hope to see evidence that he will be.

Will we see the '15 Todd Gurley? And for more than 4-5 games, at that? We'd better.

Will Higbee look like the developing stud that we all hope that he is? Second year, Tyler. Time to make a statement, man. We wanna see some blocking and some hands.

How much, if any, will Everett and'/or Reynolds see the field? We all know that it's just a question of time. Will they get a few snaps approved by McVay in this game? I'm guessing that they might, especially if the game score heavily favors the Rams. More and more as the season unfolds.

How will McVay utilize Tavon? And will Tavon justify his starter status? Everybody is anxious to see how Tavon does, huh?

Last, but certainly not least, how will Goff perform in this new O with it's many new moving parts? THE biggest question mark of the day, for sure. Sigh...

The others that I didn't mention? It's because I'm not too concerned about them, tbh.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Sean McVay: Sunday “a chance to really evaluate” Jared Goff
Posted by Josh Alper on September 7, 2017, 8:27 AM EDT

AP

Sean McVay was named the Rams’ head coach early this year, which means has had several months to work with quarterback Jared Goff and he said on Wednesday that he’s come away from that work impressed with Goff’s “mental toughness.”

That’s left him confident that Goff can take a step forward from his rookie season and continue developing into the kind of quarterback the Rams were looking for when they traded up to make him the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Any assessment that McVay has made about Goff is missing a significant data point at this point, however.

That would be how Goff fares in regular season action and McVay will get a chance to start filling in that portion of the puzzle when his team faces the Colts this weekend.

“I think any time that you get guys in the games, that’s where you get a chance to really evaluate them,” McVay said. “I think we’ve been really pleased with what we’ve seen in practice – the pocket movement, the ability to work through progressions. The best test is when you can truly get tackled and I think in spurts, he’s showed some really good positive signs of going in the right direction with what he did in the preseason. Certainly this game on Sunday will offer a great opportunity for us to see if what we feel like the confidence that we have in him and that we expect to see. Looking forward to seeing him deliver and we have a lot of confidence in Jared that he’ll do that.”

McVay’s background as an offensive coach who helped Kirk Cousins succeed in Washington and the hope he can do the same for Goff was a big part of why he got the Rams job. Sunday will provide the first look into how that process is going in Los Angeles.

 

[Riverumbbq]

http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/artic...w_against_indianapolis_colts/s1_7899_24617885

Los Angeles Rams preview against Indianapolis Colts
Originally posted on isportsweb.com | By William Boyd | Last updated 9/6/17

Finally, it’s here. The NFL season is back. To say I am excited for it would be an understatement, as the Los Angeles Rams open up against the Indianapolis Colts. There is a lot of expectations surrounding the Rams this season with the terrible reign of Jeff Fisher coming to an end and the Sean McVay era beginning. McVay is expected to bring the Rams offense back to at least competent form, but that is yet to be seen. However, there are many other storyline surrounding the Rams to pay attention to in Week 1. Below are just a few of the main ones to keep an eye on.

Preview

1.) Rams defense without Aaron Donald

The storyline that has plagued the Rams offseason, the Rams will most likely be without their star defensive lineman week 1. This has massive ramifications for the Rams team as a whole. First, their defense will suffer tremendously, obviously. Donald is the heart and soul of that defense and the main reason they are successful. He has been a force to be reckoned with in the past years, making the All-Pro team last season and having the most votes. Donald is widely recognized as the best defensive tackle in the game, and the writers agree with him being on that team. With that, in Wade Phillips system, Donald will be a cornerstone piece. Playing at nose tackle, he basically sets the tone for the entire game. Also, Donald could play defensive end as well. His versatility is something that cannot go understated on the defensive line. At his size, he would be a bit small to play defensive end, but that hasn’t stopped him before. Without Aaron Donald, the Rams defense is extremely depleted and will do anything to get him back on the field as soon as possible if he misses the first game.

2.) What will come of Jared Goff’s first game in new system?

We have already got a sneak preview into what the Rams offense will be like this year, and so far it has been particularly average, which is an improvement. Goff seems to be more comfortable in the offense, and the weapons that that the Rams have added are some of the best we’ve seen in a long time. The additions of Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods (Buffalo Bills 2.0) give Jared Goff great weapons, but also no excuses to be below average. Yes, it is only his second season in the league. But if there is no improvement this season with Goff in the offense, it would be hard to think that they would bring him back for a third or fourth season. Nevertheless, there is still the season up ahead of us, and Sean McVay has had high praises for Jared Goff. So, if you want to be the optimist, you should be excited for what Goff has to do this season. McVay is known as a quarterback genius, so hopefully he can do the same for Goff.

3.) Colts without Andrew Luck: What does this mean for the Rams?

In case you did not hear, Andrew Luck is out week 1 against the Rams. So, both teams will be without their star player (Aaron Donald for the Rams, assuming this dispute continues). There is not much to the Indianapolis Colts after Andrew Luck. After the Ryan Grigson era that seemed to do more bad than good, Luck has been left with a depleted roster and subpar players. The Colts tried to address their needs this offseason, but they still have a long way to go. Luck will single-handedly win games for the Colts this season, but without him, the Colts will be hard-pressed to win one or two games. Luck is one of those special players that makes everyone around him better. By taking him out of the equation, the Colts are a dumpster fire of an organization.



Prediction

The Colts without Andrew Luck are overall just a bad team. They have no quality quarterback and no defense really. They have tried to address it in the draft and offseason, but most of their talent is not mature yet. In the NFL, it usually comes down to quarterback play. Although both teams are not great, the Rams have the advantage at the quarterback position with Jared Goff and the Colts without Andrew Luck. It will be an ugly game, but I think the Rams start of the season 1-0.

Rams win 20-14

 

[DaveFan'51]

In no particular order...

Will the excessive "rest" for so many Ram starters cause excessive rustiness? I think it's a legit question.

Can Tanzel Smart pinch hit for AD adequately? I'm cautiously optimistic about the "adequately" part.

Can Joyner be a quality FS or what? The PS games have not been overwhelming for him.

Is Quinn finally healthy? As in '13 and '14 healthy (and productive).

How will Wade's D perform on opening day? We all know what a great DC that Wade is, of course. But how will he scheme his D vs the Colts, exactly? Should be fun to watch, huh?

Will Barwin look "at home" in this Wade D? I'm guessing that he will be. I'm also guessing that he and Quinn will make this a very looooong afternoon for Tolzein.

Anybody else curious to see how Barron plays in this Wade D? I sure am. Could be anywhere from a quick looking tackling machine to a player overwhelmed by the run game. He's probably the player that I'm most unsure about his exact fit in this new D. Hope to be reassured in this Colt game.

Jamon Brown as our RG? Is he gonna be a quality starter anytime soon? Gawd! I sure hope to see evidence that he will be.

Will we see the '15 Todd Gurley? And for more than 4-5 games, at that? We'd better.

Will Higbee look like the developing stud that we all hope that he is? Second year, Tyler. Time to make a statement, man. We wanna see some blocking and some hands.

How much, if any, will Everett and'/or Reynolds see the field? We all know that it's just a question of time. Will they get a few snaps approved by McVay in this game? I'm guessing that they might, especially if the game score heavily favors the Rams. More and more as the season unfolds.

How will McVay utilize Tavon? And will Tavon justify his starter status? Everybody is anxious to see how Tavon does, huh?

Last, but certainly not least, how will Goff perform in this new O with it's many new moving parts? THE biggest question mark of the day, for sure. Sigh...

The others that I didn't mention? It's because I'm not too concerned about them, tbh.

These are all great thoughts/Questions! And they are all on my mind too!
Great minds think alike!!
I believe they will all be answered in a very positive way come Sunday Afternoon! Our Rams will Win BIG!!