Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals: AFC Big Dogs Battle for Playoff Positioning on MNF​

The Buffalo Bills could be a win away in this 2022 NFL season from securing the AFC’s top seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If all goes well, they’re a month away from their goal of wresting the AFC championship away from the Cincinnati Bengals, earning their first Super Bowl appearance since January 1994.

But right now, that title belongs to the Bengals heading into their "Monday Night Football" matchup, giving running back Joe Mixon an opportunity to do a little trash-talking.

“At the end of the day … we the big dog of the AFC and that’s just what it is,” Mixon explained Saturday. “For anything to happen, it goes through us.”

On paper, Mixon is absolutely right. The Bengals enter on an AFC-best seven-game win streak and sit just a game behind Buffalo in the playoff race. Wins Monday night and the following week, plus one Kansas City loss, would swing the tiebreakers back the Bengals' way and make all roads to the Super Bowl run through them – not frigid, snowy Buffalo.

For the Bills, this game brings them one step closer to clinching their all-important cold-weather advantage. A win, their seventh straight, and a Chiefs loss would leave the top spot in the playoffs clinched heading into a regular-season finale where they would breathe a sigh of relief. It could also knock Cincinnati out of the lead in its division, forcing the Bengals to play every playoff game on the road.

Both sides are clearly aware of the stakes, and their matchup makes history: 23 wins combined ties the most for any two "Monday Night Football" teams since the league started playing the weekday prime-time game in 1970.

“I think it’s going to be the game of the year,” said Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd earlier this week. “If you miss this game, you’re not a true football fan… it’s going to be electrifying.”

Monday Night Football: Buffalo (12-3) at Cincinnati (11-4)

Kickoff: Monday, Jan. 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN/ABC/ESPN2
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Bills -1.5
Tickets: As low as $249 on SITickets.com*

Three Things to Watch

1. Josh Allen vs. Joe Burrow

Two of the premier quarterbacks in the game will match up for the first time in their NFL careers. Both men rank inside the top five in the AFC for every major passing category: completions, attempts, yards, passer rating, touchdowns, and yards per attempt.

But as incredible as these superstars have been, week in and week out, there’s one important category we can’t leave off the list: interceptions. The duo threw a total of four last week alone, and in Burrow’s case, a pick-six sparked a New England Patriots near-comeback after starting the game down 22-0.

Both players are the same age (26) and share the same offseason quarterback guru in Jordan Palmer. That’s led to a growing friendship between the two, spilling over into the public eye this week as each side talked about mutual respect.

“It’s been super impressive to watch and see his whole story,” Allen said this week. “Going to Ohio State, transferring out, spending two years at LSU, and arguably having one of the greatest seasons ever in college history. He’s got a heckuva story.”

“We’re friends,” Burrow added. “We’ve hung out quite a bit. Everybody that watches Josh, there’s no secret about why he’s so good. He’s fun to watch, he runs around. He makes plays. He makes throws that nobody else can make. He’s just an exciting player, a great player that it’s going to be fun to go up against him.”

Expect both players to put up Pro Bowl-worthy performances. But if either side has an edge, I’d lean toward Burrow. Allen has had an awkward history the past two months of throwing a few ugly interceptions in the red zone, costing his team in back-to-back weeks in losses against the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. Burrow, despite four interceptions over the last three weeks, has been a touch more consistent overall.

A big key is how the Bengals' offensive line recovers from right tackle La'el Collins’ season-ending ACL injury last week. After allowing 29 sacks during the first eight games, that number’s dropped to 10 during this seven-game win streak. Can a middling Buffalo defensive line get consistent pressure without star Von Miller, out for the season with his own ACL tear?

2. Which defense can make a big play?

The Bengals are hoping a 50/50 shot goes their way for star defensive end Sam Hubbard, a game-time decision after suffering a calf injury last month against Tampa Bay. His 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and 50 quarterback pressures make him one of the few capable of breaking through and making Allen’s night difficult.

While both teams have 20-plus takeaways this season, the Bills have had just one interception in the last six games. The Bengals (three) aren’t much better during their recent hot streak, allowing at least 211 net passing yards during each of the last six weeks.

So, who could break through on either side and produce a takeaway that makes the difference? For the Bills, all eyes are on defensive end A.J. Epenesa, trying to step up in Miller's absence: he has three sacks and a forced fumble in the last four games alone. Expect fellow lineman Greg Rousseau to also make an impact.

The Bengals, meanwhile, hope Hubbard returns at an A-plus level to excel alongside Trey Hendrickson (six sacks). It’s a team that believes their defensive unit, while still allowing points, has kicked it up a notch over the past two months of play.

But the Bills' defense also comes in motivated after a few ill-advised comments from Boyd earlier in the week.

“It’s kind of basic,” he explained in detailing the Bills’ scheme. “They don’t do too much disguising – it’s kind of straightforward, they don’t do all the trickery things that we’ve seen a lot from defenses. But again man, they playing us. Every team kind of prepares differently for us.”

We’ll see if the Bills think that bulletin-board material provides a little additional motivation.

3. Special teams

There’s always something funky that happens in a close game like this one. Keep an eye on the confidence of kicker Evan McPherson, whose honeymoon with the Bengals has taken a hit after another missed extra point and off-target field goal last weekend against the Patriots. His four missed PATs overall lead the AFC, while five missed field goals have already tied last year’s total with two games left on the schedule.

Tyler Bass from the Bills has been exceptional but ran into his own set of problems last week. He missed an extra point and a 38-yard field goal to leave his team down 10-6 at the end of the first half last weekend against the Bears. But Bass also has gone six-for-six on field goal attempts in a single game this year, tying a team record he shares with Steve Christie.

Final Analysis

Two of the AFC’s three best teams should be expected to go punch for punch throughout the night. While both defenses are exceptional, it’s easy to see the offenses taking center stage with all major weapons on both sides healthy. Keep an eye on wild cards like Mixon and Bills running back Devin Singletary, key options for pass-heavy teams to switch it up when necessary. Mixon piled up 108 total rushing and receiving yards last week while Singletary quietly had his first 100-yard performance of the year against the Bears.

In the end, I’d expect it to be a final drive type of game, conditions in which Burrow has shined throughout his young career. In a toss-up like this one, go with the quarterback who’s already proven he can get to the promised land instead of the one who’s been stopped just short.

As Mixon said, the Bengals are still the “big dogs” based on last year’s performance. Buffalo is going to have to come in and take it from them.

Prediction: Bengals 34, Bills 31

I know a lot of us follow our ex-Rams on the Lions staff and team. Looks like we have an opportunity to help them out this coming week into the playoffs!

I’m more than happy to rain in the Shithawks parade and wouldn’t mind seeing Rodgers not get in the playoffs with a lions win! Lol

Question is is if this scenario happens, Can the Lions do any damage in the playoffs?

Who's winning on that front?

Shelton has won me over as the starting Center... I think keeping either Brewer or Aboushi is a good idea.. and I like the idea of Skura as a backup C/G.

Hoecht is just a guy I want on the team. A real fighter and a guy you want on the roster. Not a starter.. but a guy you feel good about putting on the field.

I haven't seen enough from Williams for me to worry about losing him.. Same with Ernest Brown.. but right now, at least one of them comes back.

Russ Yeast doesn't look lost when he plays. Smaller.. but so was Rodney McLeod. Might be someone we see step up this offseason.

I'm not really venting, to be honest.
Just a bad game by an overmatched team, at this point in the season.
Defense couldn't get any stops and offense couldn't finish enough drives to keep it close.

If I'm venting... it's that Bobby Brown and Rochell still can't get on the field. What is going on with those two???

Sunday January 01, 2023

Game Day Thread

The GDT is a live thread tradition here at ROD.

While we all get fired up watching the game, please remember our core principles;we always show respect for our team and each other.

Despite the emotional highs and lows watching a game, we will moderate this thread with that in mind, however please refrain from name calling. This applies to players, the Rams organization, and others.

This is the core rule of the GDT. Moderators are tasked to issue thread bans, at a minimum, to maintain this standard.

This is our team. Win or lose. Good days and bad. We are here for FUN, not to be dragged down.

A more loosely moderated atmosphere can be found in the chat room.

Go Rams!

———

ROD Chat Room;

Game Day Room

.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens: AFC North Rivals Meet on Sunday Night Football​

The Steelers and Ravens rivalry has been so compelling lately that it was an easy choice for the NFL to flex their Week 17 matchup into the "Sunday Night Football" slot.

Eight of their last 10 meetings have been one-score contests, including the one less than a month ago that Baltimore won 16-14 in Pittsburgh. Justin Tucker kicked three field goals in the victory as Pittsburgh outgained Baltimore, but the Ravens forced three Mitchell Trubisky interceptions.

Pittsburgh has won five of its last seven games, including last week's contest at home in which they honored Franco Harris with a 13-10 victory over the Raiders. It was certainly not the most prettiest victory, but Kenny Pickett threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie George Pickens with 46 seconds left, and that was the difference in the win. The Steelers' defense was all over the place and forced three turnovers while holding the Raiders to just 13 first downs and 201 yards. The unit has held five straight opponents to 17 points or fewer.

It wasn't pretty for the Ravens, either, but much like their opponent this week, they got the victory as they beat the Falcons 17-9. Tyler Huntley threw a touchdown pass, but it was Tucker once again who kicked three field goals — all less than 30 yards — in the win. Baltimore struggled terribly in the red zone, where they couldn't pay off multiple possessions with touchdowns. It was the ground game that was big, as Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins combined for 158 rushing yards.

Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh (7-8) at Baltimore (10-5)

Kickoff: Sunday, Jan. 1 at 8:20 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Spread: Ravens -2.5
Tickets: As low as $54 on SITickets.com*

Three Things to Watch

1. Playoff implications

The Ravens are one game behind the Bengals in the AFC North standings with one contest against them still to come in the final week of the regular season. It will be for the division if the Ravens win this week, regardless of what Cincinnati does on Monday night. Baltimore is also only one game up on the Chargers, so if they want to hold the No. 5 seed, they need to keep winning. The Steelers have a 4 percent chance of making the postseason, according to FiveThirtyEight. It all begins with wins in their final two contests, but they are eliminated if the Dolphins win in New England earlier in the day.

2. Hot Steelers' defense

Tyler Huntley will be starting his fourth game of the season for the Ravens on Sunday. It'll be his second matchup against the Steelers, as he threw for 88 yards and ran for 31 more in Pittsburgh back on Dec. 11 before sustaining a concussion. He'll be facing a hot Steelers defense, so how much they decide to pass the ball will be decided by how much they'll be able to use the ground game. It was odd to see J.K. Dobbins only play one drive in the second half last week, but Gus Edwards was able to take over. In meeting one with the Steelers, the duo had 28 carries for 186 yards, and they'll need similar production if they hope to win.

3. Momentum for the rookie?

Kenny Pickett saw his five-game interception-less streak snapped last week against the Raiders in the frigid cold. Still, the rookie is making big plays and is starting to improve under center. He only threw one pass in the loss to the Ravens three weeks ago, so this will be his first extended action against the stout Baltimore defense. Baltimore is third defending the run (87.5 ypg) and 24th against the pass (239.5 ypg), so in theory, the signal-caller could be busy. The Steelers threw it 31 times in the first Ravens matchup to just 20 runs. But Pittsburgh will likely have to find a little more balance if they hope to win on Sunday night.

Final Analysis

The Steelers are hot, but if the Dolphins win earlier in the day, eliminating them, will they have the same fire? All that would be on the line is preventing head coach Mike Tomlin's first losing season. The Ravens are playing for a chance to make next week's game ultra-relevant and to at least keep hold of the No. 5 seed. As always, this one screams one-possession game, and in that case, I'll lean to the greatest kicker of all time: Justin Tucker. This one should be fun as we finally get a competitive prime-time game.

Prediction: Ravens 20, Steelers 16

Week 17

Sunday, January 1, 2023

THE LATE GAMES
San Francisco at Las Vegas, 4:05 p.m.
New York Jets at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Minnesota at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m.

THE EARLY GAMES
Arizona at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Chicago at Detroit, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at Houston, 1 p.m.
Denver at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Miami at New England, 1 p.m.
Indianapolis at New York Giants, 1 p.m.
New Orleans at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Washington, 1 p.m.

SNF
Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m.

Monday, January 2, 2023

MNF
Buffalo at Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m.

---

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, December 29, 2022

TNF
Dallas at Tennessee, 8:15 p.m.

What if the Rams put off getting an edge this year? They can move AD to DE where he has played off and on. Then Snead goes out and makes a splash signing of DeForest Buckner to play 3T and as AD's replacement when he retires in 2024. Technically he's under contract this year and next year but they don't have any guaranteed money. The Rams could take that $40M guarantee it and extend that contract for 4 more years.

Buckner is a true 3T and racked up 9 sacks on a poor defense. Paired with Gaines the Rams would continue to have one of the best interior DLs. It will be very hard to double AD outside. They can worry about the DE position in 2024. This gives them a year to see what they have in Hardy. If Daniel can bulk up with muscle while retaining his speed and quickness, he has the athletic talent to be a very good edge. He should train with AD. Buckner will be 29 in March but he's probably going to play well into his 30s so he's worth at least one more 4 year contract.

The Rams will have AD for one more year. Why not make the most of it?

Week 17

Sunday, January 1, 2023

THE EARLY GAMES
Arizona at Atlanta, 1 p.m.
Chicago at Detroit, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at Houston, 1 p.m.
Denver at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Miami at New England, 1 p.m.
Indianapolis at New York Giants, 1 p.m.
New Orleans at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Washington, 1 p.m.

THE LATE GAMES
San Francisco at Las Vegas, 4:05 p.m.
New York Jets at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.
Minnesota at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m.
Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 p.m.

SNF
Pittsburgh at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m.

Monday, January 2, 2023

MNF
Buffalo at Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m.

---

ALREADY PLAYED

Thursday, December 29, 2022

TNF
Dallas at Tennessee, 8:15 p.m.

Adam Schefter
@AdamSchefter
·
Follow
To make room on their roster for Joey Bosa, the Chargers waived running back Sony Michel.


Time for Snead to rectify his mistake. Claim Michel and extend him. That will give them their 3 RBs going into next year.

Akers, Williams, Michel

The Rams wouldn't have made the SB last year without Sony. Bring him home.

Anyone watching Harbaugh's team shit the bed?

Jourdan Rodrigue

The Rams activated OL Chandler Brewer, who was in the practice window, activated TE Jared Pinkney from the practice squad and waived OL Bobby Evans.

Rams’ Jalen Ramsey, Chargers’ Derwin James share ‘unexplainable’ bond​

THOUSAND OAKS — Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey really, really wants to play with Chargers safety Derwin James in the future and went as far as calling it the ultimate dream.

That’s coming from someone with a Super Bowl ring, assorted accolades and a lucrative contract extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league at the time.

“That would be my real, real, real dream come true,” Ramsey told the Southern California News Group last week while eating lunch on a bench outside of the Rams’ locker room. “Like you get to play with your best friend in the NFL.”

This dream, however, might not occur any time soon because Ramsey’s best friend – someone he views as a little brother and an uncle to his three daughters – signed his own lucrative contract extension with the Chargers in the summer.

“That’s like LeBron (James) getting to play with D-Wade (Dwyane Wade),” Ramsey said. “Derwin is LeBron. I’m D-Wade.”

Again, Ramsey really wants to reunite with his Florida State teammate, but he quickly stopped daydreaming and put down the Chick-fil-A after this reporter asked in jest if it was bittersweet to see James sign a four-year, $76.5 million contract with the Chargers that made him the highest-paid safety in the league.

“Hell nah,” Ramsey said. “Why would that ever be bittersweet?”

Ramsey briefly paused to greet Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield, who joined the team less than a month ago.

“Bake, what it do?” Ramsey asked.

“Some Chick-fil-A?” Mayfield responded.

After Mayfield declined Ramsey’s chicken offer, the Rams’ five-time Pro Bowler explained why it was a proud brother moment for him to see James sign his contract.

“It’s never bittersweet when my brother winning,” Ramsey said. “That’s a win for us. That’s a win for the family.”

Ramsey’s dream of playing with James again might remain a dream, but they have already achieved many of the NFL goals they discussed during the many nights James crashed on Ramsey’s couch while at Florida State.

“Everything he did, from being top five in the draft to being the highest paid (cornerback), I was chasing those same dreams,” James said last week from his locker room at the Chargers’ facility in Costa Mesa. “He set the standard. He was the first one to go to Florida State and win a ‘natty’ (national championship). I was chasing that.

“He got the Super Bowl first … I’m trying to chase that, too.”

Ramsey and James were scheduled to play against each other for the first time this Sunday with the Rams and Chargers meeting at SoFi Stadium, but James has been ruled out because he’s in the concussion protocol. James has bigger plans ahead because the Chargers clinched a playoff spot Monday night after defeating the Indianapolis Colts.

Perhaps the “brothers” aren’t meant to play as rivals, only as teammates.

“I hope he takes care of himself,” Ramsey said Friday morning before James was officially ruled out. “That’s what I’ve been telling him this week. Just to make sure he takes care of himself. I’m happy for him that he’s going to the playoffs. He got some bigger things down the line. I want him to take care of himself, for sure.

“If maybe he don’t play, it just ain’t meant to be that me and Derwin play against each other. That would be a good thing. Maybe one day we’ll play with each other. Maybe it’s not meant for us to play against each other.”

PROUD BROTHER

Mayfield walking by while Ramsey ate lunch was a reminder of how many household names Ramsey has already played with during his seven-year NFL career.

He was teammates with outside linebacker Von Miller last year and now he’s playing with middle linebacker Bobby Wagner this year. Ramsey played with Pro Bowl cornerback A.J. Bouye with the Jacksonville Jaguars and a few other standout defenders before being traded to the Rams, who have had several star players in recent years.

Ramsey appreciates crossing paths with many talented players, but he said there are only two players he has ever desired to be teammates with: Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald and James.

“Aaron Donald because, in my opinion, he’s the best football player of my generation, offense, defense, it don’t matter,” Ramsey said. “And then Derwin James. To play with Derwin again, that would mean everything.”

Ramsey has already won a Super Bowl with Donald and has called him a teammate since 2019.

“One day, we’ll see,” James said about possibly playing with Ramsey. “Hope he comes over here.”

The details of how the best friends can play together can be discussed later. For now, Ramsey will be rooting from afar for James to win a Super Bowl and he’s looking forward to watching James display his unique skill set throughout the postseason.

“I think he’s the best,” Ramsey said. “I tell my agent (David Mulugheta) every year this is the year Derwin is going to be the Defensive Player of the Year. Like, I really think that. At some point, it’ll happen. He’s in that type of category. He’s that (expletive) good. People don’t even understand what he does and how special it is.”

Chargers coach Brandon Staley is one of the few who understands the amount of responsibility James has on the field. He also knows, from his one-year stint as the Rams’ defensive coordinator, that Ramsey is just as versatile and also has many roles on the field.

“Very fortunate to coach both of them,” Staley said. “It’s so unique that they’re best friends. What I think is very rare about both of them is that you can say they’re two of the only players like themselves. Like, there aren’t any other (comparisons) to them in the NFL. There are no safeties like Derwin and there are no corners like Jalen.”

Rams coach Sean McVay echoed Staley’s comments about the dynamic defensive backs.

“They’re both really versatile,” McVay said. “They’re both really passionate about the game. Incredibly talented. I don’t necessarily think there’s any limitations in what either one of those guys can do.”

HOW THE FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPED

Ramsey struggled to find the words to explain why he refers to James as his best friend.

He called it an “unexplainable” bond and a “natural” connection.

“We’re brothers,” Ramsey said. “There’s no checklist.”

People don’t get to choose their siblings, but they can decide who to spend their time with. Ramsey often did the one-hour drive from Jacksonville to Tallahassee, Florida, to spend time with James while he played at Florida State. Ramsey was a junior and James a freshman during the one year they played together with the Seminoles.

Now with both in Southern California, Ramsey often makes the voyage from Ventura County to Orange County to spend time with James, and vice versa. It’s a grueling drive in L.A. traffic, but it’s nice to have a personal driver.

“That ain’t no effort if it’s your friend,” Ramsey said. “Effort is like I don’t really want to do it. ‘Let me figure out how to make it work.’ It wasn’t effort. ‘Come to Jacksonville this weekend.’ Boom, we’re free. Let’s get it done, let’s make it happen. We both know our drivers.”

For James, the words weren’t hard to find because Ramsey was there for him after James suffered two long-term injuries in back-to-back summers that cost him most of the 2019 season and all of the 2020 season.

“He means a lot to me,” said James, a three-time Pro Bowler. “I just think about those two times, going through adversity, losing my season, season-ending injuries, him being one of the first to call me. He texted me, ‘Hey, man, you’re going to be alright. You still know who you are. A dog. You’re the best.’”

Ramsey was supportive but also honest with James.

“I appreciate that,” James said. “He kept it 100. ‘Stop getting your (butt) hurt, be healthy, be available for those guys. Take care of your body.’ Like it was out of my control, but you need to hear that. You need that. You don’t need to keep hearing, ‘Are you OK?’

“People always hammer him for, ‘Oh, he’s always speaking his mind. He’s a bad guy.’ He is a genuine, good guy. He cares about people.”

Ramsey and James partnered together for The Safety Corner foundation to help people in need.

“He always impacted me in a positive way,” James said.

PLAYING TOGETHER

Ramsey and James might never play together again, but they’re OK with being a few freeways apart as star defensive backs for NFL teams in Los Angeles.

And they’ll always have the memories they created at Florida State on and off the field.

“I was biased because he was growing into my best friend at the time,” Ramsey recalled. “Like on the field, I kept begging Coach for him to play immediately (as a freshman).

“They created packages for Derwin. We used to call them ‘Cheetah.’ Different types of names, like ‘Alien.’ Different packages. Every time he was in the game, he would make a play, and me and him, like we had a connection and chemistry on that field that I ain’t had with nobody else ever before until I got to the league and had it with (Eric) Weddle.”

Ramsey has played with several star players, but none of them would top playing with James again. Maybe not even Donald.

“That was our own field,” Ramsey said. “It was our type of vibe. That’s why I want to play with Derwin again.”

James won’t be on the field Sunday, but maybe brothers aren’t meant to play against each other.

How did it become legal to be so pushy in the NFL?​

There’s nothing subtle about the shove.

One of the plays the Philadelphia Eagles run in short-yardage situations is a sneak with a pair of players immediately behind the quarterback, each poised to push on his backside as soon as the ball is snapped.

It’s the “double-cheek push,” or at least that’s how NBC’s Cris Collinsworth described it a few weeks ago, and it’s emblematic of what we’re seeing all over the NFL this season. Instead of traditional blocking schemes, these surging clusters of humanity turn the ball carrier into a cork bobbing in a wave.

“It’s one of those ways, if you’re trying to get a yard, it seems like a pretty efficient way to be able to do it,” said Rams coach Sean McVay, whose team plays the Chargers on Sunday. “And maybe you’ll see it this week if we get into those short-yardage situations.”

Remember the “Bush Push”? That was 17 years ago when USC running back Reggie Bush used all his might to help knock quarterback Matt Leinart into the end zone for the winning touchdown at Notre Dame. It was a controversial moment because aiding the runner in that way wasn’t allowed in college football at the time. Compared to what’s happening in the NFL, that shove in South Bend was merely a gentle nudge.

Sports Info Solutions recently looked specifically at quarterback sneaks and calculated through the first 12 weeks that Philadelphia led the league in that department by a wide margin. Heading into December, the Eagles had executed 24 sneaks and 21 of them resulted in first downs. The next-closest teams were Cleveland (15 of 18), San Francisco (11 of 13), Cincinnati (11 of 11) and Chicago (eight of nine).

Former NFL and UCLA running back Maurice Jones-Drew said it often boils down to a simple calculation: Which 11 players are stronger?

“It’s just a mind-set that you have that you’re going to fight for every inch,” Jones-Drew said. “I remember defenders saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to start taking your legs out because we don’t want to hold you up and then these other 300-pounders come in and knock us out.’

“You’ve got to remember, when you get the football it’s 11-on-one. There’s 11 guys trying to tackle you. So how do you even those odds out? Other guys are going to help you with that rugby scrum.”

For decades, NFL rules prohibited offensive players from directly aiding a runner in any way, whether it was pushing or pulling him. But in 2005 — six months before the Bush Push — the league clarified its stance. There would be no pulling of ball carriers by teammates, but pushing was too difficult to legislate.

“What the league found was so difficult was you never were sure who was pushing who,” said Mike Pereira, the former NFL director of officials who became the rules analyst for Fox. “So you’re not necessarily pushing the runner. You could be pushing someone else that’s in contact with the runner. So it became really too difficult to officiate. Therefore, we just said, ‘OK, it’s legal to push.’ ”

The difference now is that teams are beginning to incorporate push plays into their repertoire.

“There’s a certain thing [about] pushing guys across the edge,” said Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield, more pushee than pusher. “You talk about it after the game and you see the momentum. You see the offensive linemen getting involved and you see the passion in guys and the will and the want to win.”

From the perspective of an offensive lineman, turning a one-yard gain into a five-yard pickup is an opportunity to set the tone in a game.

“I think it’s huge,” said retired All-Pro tackle Andrew Whitworth, now an Amazon Prime analyst. “It’s a symbolizing play of the day, kind of the mentality of your O-line. I always look, when I’m watching the line play in a game, for one of those type plays early in a game. When you see those guys fly in to push a pile, you can kind of tell where their head is for the day.”

Not everyone sees the now-routine occurrence of moving mosh pits as a positive.

“You could say that these scrums have become a safety issue,” Pereira said. “When you have all those bodies and all those legs moving forward … it does seem to be a player-safety type thing.”

There is a belief within the league that these types of push plays will be under scrutiny in the spring when teams propose and vote on potential rule changes.

As for the Eagles, they mix it up every so often. Sometimes, when everyone is squeezing down in the middle, they will pop the ball outside to the perimeter and get yards that way.

Sneaky, sneaky.

I hate that I'm doing one of these before the season is over, but I want to start looking toward better days, as we have had a painful season. I'm still in the preliminary stages of my evaluation, so the draft is mostly shots in the dark at this stage. As always, I do these mocks from a combination of what I think the Rams should do and what I expect the Rams will do. Basically, I pick players I like, but I try to limit that to players who fit our schemes and our coaches' preferences.
Restructure
CB Jalen Ramsey
WR Cooper Kupp
DL Aaron Donald

I expect us to continue kicking the can down the road while our window is open. This will allow us to re-sign some guys and make some FA moves.

Re-sign
QB Baker Mayfield
DL A'Shawn Robinson
CB Troy Hill
P Riley Dixon
K Matt Gay
All ERFAs
DL Marquise Copeland
OL Ty Nsekhe
RS Brandon Powell
LS Matt Orzech

I hope Baker will stick around and be Stafford's backup. He could do a lot of learning from McVay and Stafford. And we need more stability behind Matt. I think A'Shawn will be easier and cheaper to retain than Gaines, so Greg unfortunately leaves in FA. I also think Hill shouldn't be too expensive, and he's a solid veteran at CB with the versatility to play the slot and outside. The special teamers are easy re-signs, and Copeland shouldn't be expensive to bring back as depth.

Free Agency

S John Johnson III

John isn't living up to the contact in Cleveland and reportedly isn't too happy about his role in the defense. There's a solid chance that the Browns will cut him. If they do, a reunion makes perfect sense. With Nick Scott and Rapp leaving, we have a hole at safety. JJIII fits in this defense and knows the team well. Since he's a cap casualty, he doesn't count against us in the comp pick formula.


EDGE Charles Harris

Former first round pick Charles Harris had a breakout year for the Lions in 2021. The Lions re-signed him on a relatively short-term deal to see if he could do it again. Instead, Harris has spent most of the year dealing with injuries. With Romeo Okwara returning finally and Aidan Hutchinson (in addition to other young guys in the rotation), I think there's a good chance the Lions cut Harris this offseason. If they do, he's worth a shot. He should be cheap, he won't count against us in the comp pick formula, and he showed he can perform well when healthy last year.

Trades
Rams trade Round 6 Pick #15 and 2024 Round 5 Pick
Commodes trade HB Antonio Gibson

While I think there's a good chance we'll go after Tony Pollard if he hits FA, I am going to include an Antonio Gibson trade in this mock. Cam Akers starting to get his groove back is good news for us, but we need a HB to pair with him. After rushing for 1000+ yards last year, the Commodes relegated Gibson to a #2 role behind Brian Robinson. I think a big part of it was Gibson's fumbling problem last year. That problem hasn't reoccurred this year. Regardless, he's heading into the final year of his rookie year, so I bet Washington is willing to deal him. Why Gibson? He's 6'2" 220, ran a 4.39 40 at the Combine, is dangerous in space, and played WR in college. This kid has massive upside in the right system.
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Rams trade Round 2 Pick #6
Panthers trade Round 2 Pick #11 and Round 4 Pick #26

The Panthers move up a few slots for a player that unexpected fell out of the first round. Rams are willing to move back to regain a fourth because they're confident they can still land their guy.

Rams trade Round 2 Pick #11 and Round 7 Pick #12
Jets trade Round 2 Pick #14 and Round 5 Pick #18

Rams again feel their guy will be there if they trade down, so they make a move with the Jets to drop a few spots.

Rams trade Round 4 Pick #26 and Round 5 Pick #34
Jaguars trade Round 4 Pick #20 and Round 6 Pick #32

Rams trade up for a player.

Rams trade Round 5 Pick #18 and Round 5 Pick #37
Ravens trade Round 4 Pick #25

We move up again for a player we're targeting in the fourth.

Rams trade Round 6 Pick #6 and Round 6 Pick #32
Packers trade Round 5 Pick #13

Another Rams trade up for a player we want.

NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #14 - B.J. Ojulari EDGE LSU
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Analysis: It was clear all year long that we lacked a presence on the edge across from Floyd. I expect the Rams to target an edge rusher here. There will be some great talents available. I chose Ojulari because he offers exactly what we lacked this year. He's a finesse rusher who wins with an explosive get-off and the flexibility to turn the corner and dip under the OT's punch. However, while Ojulari is a finesse rusher, he's not a one-trick pony. He's a twitchy athlete who can win with an inside move if the OT starts to cheat outside. He also is savvy with his footwork, throwing in stutters and changing speeds to keep OTs off balance. While Ojulari's sack production wasn't off the charts, he posted a better pass rush win rate than Will Anderson this year. Why isn't he going in Round 1? Aside from this being a deep and talented edge class, Ojulari hasn't shown a consistent power game to this point in his career, he's a little undersized at 6'3" 245, and he has weaknesses against the run. While Ojulari plays with a phenomenal motor and has the explosiveness to affect plays as a backside run defender, he lacks the ability to disengage with blockers and stonewall large OTs as a frontside run defender. He is physical and plays hard, so he's not a total liability, but he's definitely a guy you can run at successfully. B.J.'s brother Azeez was a second round pick of the Giants' a couple years ago. Azeez put up 8 sacks as a rookie. IMO, B.J. is a better prospect and player. I think he has the potential to be a consistent double-digit sack guy.

Round 3 Pick #7 - Cody Mauch OL North Dakota State
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Analysis: Mauch is a phenomenal athlete who fits extremely well in our scheme. At 6'6" 303, he's not a physically overpowering blocker. Like the guys McVay has tended towards, he's an athletic OL who uses angles well. This is a kid who is explosive off the ball, has elite lateral agility for his size, and top-notch body control. It makes him a devastating blocker in space and on the second level. He's very savvy, which makes him excellent at working off of double team blocks and securing lanes for runners. Mauch has played basically his entire career at LT (outside of a couple games he started at RT early in his career). While he has the athleticism to play OT in the NFL, I think his arm length will result in him kicking inside (but he could play OT if needed due to injuries). He has the potential to be a devastating OG in a ZBS. If he can get stronger in the NFL, he has All Pro potential. But even if he doesn't, he should be a quality starter. His movement skills are just special. He's also a technically polished blocker with smarts, a mean streak, and a nonstop motor. The one weak point I noted in pass protection is that he tends to shoot his hands too wide and expose his chest. He has no business falling this far, but between his short arms, being an older prospect (turns 24 next month), and being from a small school, I think he's a guy we could steal in the third round.

Round 4 Pick #20 - Sam LaPorta TE Iowa
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Analysis: LaPorta has been highly productive at Iowa, yet he still flies under the radar. I think he's going to fall far further than he should in the Draft because he's neither a dominating blocker nor an elite athlete who is a mismatch in the passing game. But don't get it twisted, LaPorta is a solid blocker and a savvy, reliable receiver. As a receiving TE, LaPorta is a savvy route runner with good burst off the LOS and the speed to create separation on crossing routes. He's a competitive and physical runner with the ball in his hands, making him effective after the catch. And he possesses reliable mitts, although he isn't a dominant contested catch receiver. He's the sort of guy who consistently find himself open in the short and intermediate ranges. As a blocker, LaPorta is savvy, polished, and physical. He competes hard. What he lacks is ideal size (6'4" 249) and strength. That makes it tougher for him to sustain blocks against DLs and larger EDGEs on his own. But he's certainly not a liability as an inline blocker, and he's very willing to throw his body around as a lead blocker or puller. I think LaPorta is going to have a good career in the NFL and is a great fit for our offense.

Round 4 Pick #25 - Kobie Turner DL Wake Forest
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Analysis: Turner is still developing as a DL, but he blew me away with his tools. He was a FCS All American before transferring to Wake Forest before this season. He emerged as a locker room leader and a top player on that Wake DL. His production won't blow you away (38 tackles, 10 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 2 FFs), but his film really impressed me. He lined up everywhere on that DL, from 0-Tech (NT) to 5-Tech (DE). As a run defender, Turner is very hard to move due to his impressive strength and body control. He has even shown the ability to split double teams. When he plays with good pad level, Turner is an impact run defender. He does need to get better at finding the ball and understanding blocking schemes, but with him being a FCS player for most of his career, I don't hold that against him. As a pass rusher, he's explosive off the ball, has the agility and short-area quickness to beat OGs with finesse moves, and he has the power and heavy hands to bull rush OLs. He's very raw as a pass rusher, though. Right now, he doesn't have developed pass rush plans or pass rush moves. He's active with his hands, but he doesn't really know how to use them to max effect at this point. I think this is a kid Eric Henderson could really work wonders with. He has so much raw talent.

Round 5 Pick #13 - Kei'Trel Clark CB Louisville
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Analysis: Clark will likely drop far further than he should because he won't meet the height and weight requirements of a lot of teams. At 5'10" 180, he's undersized. And it shows from time to time. But Clark has great athleticism and is very sticky in coverage. He also has outstanding ballskills. He's a competitive, in-your-face type of CB (a bit like Ramsey in that he chirps a lot). But the guy can play. He has the versatility to play both in the slot and outside. He's a willing tackler, although his tackling technique could improve. His lack of size does hurt him in that respect, as he'll bounce off some guys or get dragged from yardage. He also doesn't get off blocks from physical WRs easily. He also needs to be careful squatting on short routes, as he's late out of his backpedal at times in a way that will get him beat in the NFL. But at the end of the day, this is a dude who can cover and make plays on the football. We've done well with those types. He reminds me a lot of Darious Williams.

Round 6 Pick #12 - Roschon Johnson HB Texas
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Analysis: Roschon gets overlooked because he is stuck behind a monster in Bijan Robinson, but Roschon is a talented HB himself. Originally recruited to Texas as a QB, Roschon moved to HB as a freshman due to injuries at the position. At 6'2" 225, he's not a small HB and runs hard with good contact balance. Roschon also has impressive burst and quick feet. He's a very physical blocker in both pass protection and the running game and was reportedly a leader in the locker room at Texas. This is the sort of kid who puts the team first and will do the dirty work. I think he should contribute on special teams early on. As a runner, he has a lot of upside due to his physical attributes. I think there will be an adjustment period, as he's still fairly new to the HB position and will need to get used to our scheme. He also showed a good amount of potential as a receiver while at Texas. I see him as a guy who might take a year or two to develop, but during that time, he's capable of contributing on special teams and has the potential to be a dangerous piece in the HB rotation down the line.

Round 6 Pick #35 - Rashad Torrence S Florida
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Analysis: Torrence is a solid player who should fit well in the scheme we run. He won't be a fit everywhere, which will hurt him in the Draft, as I don't think he has the quickness and fluidity to play a lot of man coverage in the NFL. Torrence is at his best in a split-safety defense, although he can play the center-fielder role effectively and in the box. Torrence is a hard hitter who brings the boom, but he will sometimes choose the big hit over making a technically sound tackle, which can backfire on him. As a pass defender, he has good ball skills and is capable of picking passes off if a QB doesn't respect him. He's also a guy who will bring the boom on special teams.

Round 7 Pick #36 - Ventrell Miller ILB Florida
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Analysis: I think Ventrell is the type of LB who will fall in the Draft. He's undersized (6'0" 221) and has some major limitations in pass coverage. But he was the heart and soul of the Florida defense this year. Every time he was out, the defense fell to complete shambles. I think Miller will be a very good special teamer in the NFL. He has great instincts, a nose for the ball, hits like a truck, and has good speed. As a LB, he defends the run well, can play sideline to sideline, and is serviceable in zone coverage. He's a liability in man coverage, as he lacks the quickness to keep up with HBs and athletic TEs.

Projected Starters
QB: Matthew Stafford
HB: Antonio Gibson
WR: Cooper Kupp
WR: Allen Robinson
WR: Van Jefferson
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Joe Noteboom
LG: Coleman Shelton
C: Brian Allen
RG: Alaric Jackson
RT: Rob Havenstein

DE: Michael Hoecht
NT: A'Shawn Robinson
DE: Aaron Donald
OLB: Leonard Floyd
ILB: Bobby Wagner
ILB: Ernest Jones
OLB: Charles Harris
CB: Jalen Ramsey
CB: Troy Hill
CB: Cobie Durant
S: John Johnson III
S: Jordan Fuller

K: Matt Gay
P: Riley Dixon
LS: Matt Orzech
RS: Brandon Powell

Upset in the making ? Is this a trap game for the Renters ?
Guess the exact winner & score : Win $40,000.00 ROD Dollars
Or, be the closest to the winning score and win $20,000.00 ROD Dollars.
Good Luck ...

Rams - 24

Chargers - 23

She was an important journalist for most of her working life. RIP

Yes what we need now is a schadenfreud ending. Upset the Chargers and make Staley look like a buffoon. Then shit all over Seattle and their playoff hopes by beating their asses and sending their fans home at halftime in a blowout.

RIP. Fuck Cancer

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There are several teams in the NFC that I hate and unfortunately who I think is the best in the NFC.

The Niners, God help me, are the best. (IMO).

Behind them are the Cowboys (gulp), the Iggles, the Vikings, and the Buccs.. Consequently, I am hoping the AFC Champ wins the Super Bowl this year because I don't want to be guilty of choking out Niner fans all year....

The Derek Carr situation may turn-out to be fun to follow and discuss. And there’s a lot to consider.

Seems pretty clear that Las Vegas wants to move-on, but How?

The Raiders could simply release Carr and get big cap savings ($29M) with relatively little Dead-$ ($5.6M). Then the discussion is how attractive a free agent the 32-year-old Carr would be?

Already seen some posts that have little regard for Derek Carr. I don’t agree.

I think Carr would be very attractive to a number of teams. There are a bunch of teams that may believe they are a QB-upgrade away from being really good; and Carr could represent such an upgrade to some of them.

That would take us into a discussion of how good a quarterback is David Carr … borderline-top-10 … top-16 (half the League) … no better than top-20. There are stats to analyze, who Carr has played for/with, lack of playoff experience (one game) and age to consider.

I don’t know that the Raiders would simply release him. A number of teams may be willing to offer a trade, with the hope / expectation that they can redo his contract to give Carr more guaranteed money but reduce his cap hit for the next couple seasons. Then the discussion is what type of compensation would Las Vegas get back. Teams have given up a ton in recent off-seasons for veteran QBs, with very mixed results.

How about this as a topic for discussion. Several teams may want to trade for Carr but only under the condition that they first get to negotiate a new contract for cap relief and security. The Raiders could be OK with that but Carr might say ‘No’. Carr could try to scare-off teams seeking a trade by refusing to negotiate with one team, in hope that the Raiders would release him; and then Carr could negotiate as a free agent with any team.

Could even have another Deshaun Watson situation where the Raiders work-out a trade with multiple teams, then turn to Carr and say negotiate a new contract that you like and we will trade you to that team.

My whole point is that things could be simple and straight-forward, or complicated and drag-out.

As Rams fans, we will be so focused on what our team does this off-season … and that will come with some stress and anxiety. It may be enjoyable to follow, discuss and debate a significant player move that may not impact the Rams … unless Derek Carr goes to San Francisco!