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Hello guys - how to start.. right now i am on holiday in San Francisco because my mother used to live here about 25 years ago. During the last couple of nights the idea of renting a car and not only making this my first US trip but the first time seeing my Rams live grew in me - to bad i left my SJ39 jersey at home.
So i wanted to ask you locals for some help:
Should i buy tickets online via the official rams site or is there any better way, maybe even buy them before the game?
Whats about parking - is there a possibility to park (cheap ) in LA and go to the stadium with public transport?
if you would have about 32 hours in LA (planing to arrive saturday evening/afternoon) what would you do - especially on weekends. (i saw ucla and usc are playing - but want the rams to be my "first time" at the coliseum ).
And are there places you should generally avoid as an european tourist with the clueless look on his sunburned face?
Thank you very much for your help - can't tell you how excited i am :yay::yay::yay:
@ mods: if this thread is in the wrong category feel free to move it - i´m sorry.
I found this design on the internet courtesy of Frank151.com. I like the colors on his helmet design. It's a different shade of blue that pops, but it looks good. The white trim on the outside of the yellow/mustard horns is a good mix of old and new colors, and gives more options with the jersey and pants.
(On the trade for Redskins TE Derek Carrier)
“Derek is a great guy. He brings some versatility to the position. He’s familiar with a lot of the verbiage, the terminology – he can play the ‘F’ position, he can play ‘Y’ in-line. So he can do a lot of things that will complement that group. Good athlete – he will be able to contribute for (special teams coordinator John Fassel) ‘Bones’. When you lose a (TE) Temarrick Hemingway, who was going to be a big part of what we wanted to do, (Carrier) was a guy that we had potentially targeted knowing the depth that the Redskins had at that position. We feel fortunate to be able to acquire Derek. He is going to be a big help to us.”
(On if there is an update on DT Aaron Donald)
“It’s the same. The dialogue’s been good and it’s where we kind of left it off the last time that we discussed that.”
(On if he is expecting Donald at practice on Monday)
“Like I said, we’re in a situation right now where the dialogue is ongoing. I still remain very optimistic. I’m always going to maintain that positive approach and that’s where we’re at. I know that our guys are working relentlessly to try to come to this solution and like we said, the level of urgency is certainly raised as we get closer and closer to our first regular season game. But, right now there is no update – kind of still where we’re at and the dialogue is back and forth with us and Aaron’s representation.”
(On how difficult cut day can be and how the process was his first time as a head coach)
“Yeah, I felt really good about just the way that we were able to come to decisions on our entire team, both with our offensive and defensive staffs, with (GM) Les (Snead) and his staff. I feel like the communication on all levels has been very good where we’ve kind of all been on the same page. Certainly the decisions weren’t easy, but I feel like because you have some many people that are good at what they do, are able to give their insight with their previous experience, it makes it as seamless as possible. But, with regards to some of those decisions in dealing with a lot of these players, it’s tough. I couldn’t say enough about just what a class act all the guys that we dealt with where you’re delivering unfortunate information, but what a joy these guys have been to be around – I speak for all of our coaches when I say that. I think it’s a representation of the type of guys that we have in this building, both that are still here and guys that were here. It was a special group of 90 men. I thank them for what they did and it was a great opportunity to be able to work with those guys. Unfortunately, with a lot of them we had to move in different directions and then a handful of them we’ll bring back to the practice squad, but it’s never fun. I think certainly being in this role for the first time where you’re kind of the first one delivering that information, it definitely has a different feeling to it. But, as long as you deal with these guys openly and honestly and when you’re dealing with good people like we were fortunate enough to do – an unfortunate and a tough day went as well as it could of I guess is the best way to put it.”
(On if he anticipates any changes with the roster between now and Monday)
“Yeah, that’s a good question. I think really when you look at it, as we continue to get all the guys that have been waived in and Les and his staff have done a nice job kind of sorting through those things. We’ve had an eye on a handful of guys that could be subject to being released that might potentially upgrade us. We haven’t gone through that. Those are discussions that we’ll have after this and kind of watching that waiver wire and see how things shape up. Then when everything kind of gets finalized tomorrow, we’ll be able to make the decisions if we stick with the guys we do have or if we decide to kind of make some swaps. You want to be smart about it, especially kind of being mindful of having that fifth spot where you’re at in the claim order where you might be able to potentially upgrade if we feel like a guy does give us that upgrade spot at one of those positions that we’re looking at.”
(On if offensive line is a position that can potentially be upgraded)
“Really you’re looking at all positions or spots that you can potentially upgrade and it depends on who becomes available. With us right now, currently keeping eight guys on the O-line because (T) Darrell (Williams) and (T) Andrew (Donnal) – Andrew is a guy that’s played both guard and tackle. I haven’t had a chance to evaluate a lot of him, but with (C) Austin Blythe being a center, I think we feel good about those eight right now. We’ll look at the waiver wire, but certainly it’s not a knock on the eight that we do have. Really, when you look at what Andrew does provide, he hasn’t been able to practice, but this is a guy that’s played all over the line. Darrell has done a nice job at tackle and then we feel good about what Austin has done at the center position.”
(On Donnal’s status)
“He was out there today. He was able to do some team work for the first time since the injury occurred. He’s a guy that it was tough because you’d like to see him out there and get acclimated and accustomed to a lot of the new techniques that we’re implementing, different than what they had done before. I feel like right when he was kind of hitting his stride at the end of the offseason program, you started to see him get comfortable with that and then unfortunately, the knee injury occurs right at the beginning of camp. But, Andrew is a guy that’s played a lot of football. A very smart player and that versatility is valuable, especially when you are talking about typically having seven guys active on game day and when you’ve got a guy that can fill a lot of needs they bring value to the team for sure.”
(On if CB Michael Jordan did not make the active roster because of the numbers at that position)
“I think so. I think really when you look at our secondary as a whole, both the corner and the safety position, it’s as deep a group as I’ve ever been around where you feel really good about the room from top to bottom. When you keep six safeties on the active roster and five corners, not to mention that when (CB) Troy Hill gets back you’re talking about potentially 12 DBs. But ‘Mike J’ is a guy that did a lot of good things. He got his hands on the ball, made some plays, closed a couple games out, but I think he’s a guy that can play in this league. I think it was more of a situation where we had such good depth at that positon and it became more of a numbers game, but I think Michael Jordan is definitely capable and I think he’ll get a shot somewhere.”
(On how the conversation went with TE Cory Harkey being released)
“Well, I think you guys know what a class act he is, what he’s meant to this organization. That was certainly a difficult discussion because of the type of player, the type of person he is, but like you guys would expect, what a class act, what a great human being. A good leader, kind of stands for all the right types of things in terms of what you’re looking for, for a guy to represent the organization the right way. That’s what hes done over the last handful of years. He would still be on this team right now if it weren’t for the Derek Carrier trade where we were able to acquire Derek. So, it certainly wasn’t an easy discussion, but I wish nothing but the best for Cory and can’t say enough things about what he represents in terms of the toughness, the leadership, the character, all those good things that you want your players to embody, that’s what Cory Harkey is and that’s what he stands for. I think very highly of Cory.”
(On if he feels like he ever really got a chance to get a look at WR Nelson Spruce due to his injuries)
“It’s one of those situations when you talk to Nelson today, you say it’s unfortunate because he’s a good football player, he’s got great instincts, good, aggressive hands. Unfortunately, the injuries really kept him out of chances to really compete for a roster spot and it’s unfortunate. We’re hopeful that Nelson will get a spot and get a chance to compete somewhere else. We wish him nothing but the best, but again, that’s another position like you talk about the secondary with looking at some of the guys that we were able to acquire through free agency or a trade and then the two guys we added through the draft. We feel really good about the depth at the receiver positon. Just like at corner, you’re going to get (WR) Mike Thomas back after Week 4 and potentially some tough decisions to be made there, but we have six guys going into this season that you feel really good about where you have a chance to keep guys fresh because they’re interchangeable because you truly have confidence in all six of those guys if they’re targeted to be able to make the play.”
(On if he is committed to just going with QB Jared Goff and QB Sean Mannion and letting go of QB Dan Orlovsky)
“I think Dan – the value that Dan had for those guys especially being aware of how young Jared and Sean both are, I thought Dan was a great example of kind of providing a mentorship role for them. Being around some great players and then him having the experience that he’s had. I thought he was really helpful to those guys. Dan’s definitely a possible guy that we’ll bring back on this roster, so by no means does that mean that we couldn’t see him Week 2. I think very highly of Dan. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Dan from other people in the coaching world that have been with him and he certainly lived up to that reputation. He’s definitely a guy that could be a possibility for us to bring back in Week 2.”
(On what RB Justin Davis showed him to earn a spot on the active roster)
“I think, probably, the same things you guys noticed. He’s an explosive back that, I think he got better as the preseason progressed, really a conscientious player – was really impressed with just the maturity and growth in a short amount of time. I saw some things that improved in terms of his technique in the protection element. Obviously, when the ball’s in his hands and he puts his foot in the ground and decides to get vertical – you see an explosion and I think he’s a nice change-of-pace back. And when you look at really, I think (RB) Todd’s (Gurley) kind of that complete all-around back that can do a little bit of everything. You guys know how highly I think about Todd. Then I think (RB) Malcolm (Brown) is a nice guy that can kind of provide some carries in the first and second-down role. Then, really, when you look at what Justin does bring, if you’re looking for that change of pace back, very similar to the reason that we liked (RB) Lance Dunbar so much – that’s kind of what Justin has provided. We’re excited about Justin. We know that as a rookie some of the things that we’re going to ask him to do, it’ll be something that we’ll just take little steps at a time. Justin definitely earned his spot on this roster and we’ve been pleased with what he’s done throughout the preseason.”
(On if WR Tavon Austin will be ready for Week 1)
“He is, that’s the plan. Unless something changes, he’ll be our punt returner. He’s going to be a guy...not sure if you guys saw him moving around before the Green Bay game just getting a workout in. I asked him, “How he felt today? Yeah, I feel okay.’ I said, ‘Well if that’s how okay feels that’s great news for us, man.’ He looked pretty good. He looks healthy. He looks explosive and he looks like the Tavon Austin that we’re accustomed to seeing.”
(On how he feels about the defensive line outside of DTs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers)
“I think (Defensive Line) coach (Bill) Johnson’s done a nice job developing some depth. I think when you really look at it – having those guys that you feel good about provides an opportunity to move guys around in a variety of roles based on the package that we’re playing. We’ll do some different things with our rush packages. When you’ve got guys that you feel like you can play, it allows them to be interchangeable and keep those guys fresh. We know what kind of special rusher (OLB) Robert Quinn is. You feel really good about (OLB) Connor Barwin. But what I think what’s been nice is you see the emergence of the (DT) Tanzel Smart. You know what ‘Lou’ (DT Louis Trinca-Pasat) brings inside as a solid player. I think (DE) Morgan Fox has done some good things and then bringing back (DT Tyrunn) Walker – all of those guys can do a little bit of everything. Like you already mentioned with ‘Brock’ (Michael Brockers) and I think the more guys that you can have that you feel like can fill a variety of roles – the fresher you can allow those guys to be where you’ve got a healthy rotation. That’s when those guys have a chance to be at their best.”
(On if he feels like this year was a strong draft class despite not having a first-round pick and considering so many made the final roster)
“I think (General Manager) Les (Snead) and his staff did a great job of kind of prioritizing that board and then allowing, when our coaches got involved in it, for us all to be on the same page and kind of come to a conclusion – especially with those guys early on. So far, we know that the season’s going to really give us a good idea of kind of where we’re at with those players. But from what we’ve seen with the offseason program going into training camp and the preseason – I think that there’s a lot of draft picks that we’re going to rely heavily on. I think you look at some of those guys especially offensively with the skill players that we drafted. (OLB) Samson’s (Ebukam) a guy that has flashed. And then you look at (OLB) Ejuan Price in the limited time that he’s had, you see why he was such a productive player at Pitt, (DT) Tanzel Smart. So, when you go back and you really look at it, you do feel good about what we were able to do through the draft and these are guys that we’re going to be counting on and looking forward to seeing these guys progress each and every day.”
(On what went into TE Johnny Mundt making the active roster)
“I think when you really look at it, John did a nice job the other night. He’s been a guy that…very smart, contentious player. I think he’s a guy that we’re really looking forward to developing. He’s a guy that…I don’t necessarily know how things will shape out, but when you do go get a (TE) Derek Carrier then it allows you to feel comfortable with that fourth tight end to go the route of where you’re going to be patient with a guy and allow him to develop, knowing that he had the ankle injury in the rookie minicamp – so he’s missed some time. But when he’s gotten out there and when you look at what he was able to do at Oregon, he’s got some ability. He’s got some talent – really contentious, smart. He has the ability to move around the formation a little bit. Then I think (Tight Ends Coach) Shane’s (Waldron) done a good job of getting him more comfortable playing in-line. It was good for John to make a couple plays the other night for his confidence. I think you see a little bit of flashes with him and he’s a guy that we’re looking forward to kind of just seeing how he progresses.”
(On if he expects most of his starters to practice this week)
“Yeah we are. Unless something changes, everybody’s going to be ready to go. That was kind of what we had out there today as well. So, with the exception of obviously (DT) Aaron (Donald) not being there, we had kind of all hands on deck and that was good. You know, you’ve got (LB Mark) Barron out there, you’ve got (OLB Robert) Quinn, (CB) Kayvon Webster is back and healthy. So, everybody that has missed some time was back out there and they did a nice job. It was good to see them move around.”
(On if Monday will be a full practice)
“It’ll be modified. I think what it is, is we want to be aware of using it to be able to get ahead on the Colts, but also want to be fresh. So, that when we do get into that normal game week preparation, because Tuesday will be a day off and then we’ll get right into our normal weekly rhythm that we’ll have throughout the course of the season. So, Monday will be a bonus day. I thought today was good for these guys to get out there, get a good sweat in, but really didn’t want to push it too much. We got some good competitive work. There’s a little bit of carryover kind of what we do offensively and defensively, where even when you’re going against each other, you’re seeing some similarities to what we’ll see from Indy offensively and defensively and it’s going to be a great challenge. We’re excited to get going and Monday will really represent the first day of true preparation for our team and for the Colts.”
(On if he is still hopeful that he will see Donald at practice on Monday)
“Oh yeah, I’m an optimistic guy. You know, I’m always going to take the positive approach, so nothing’s changed on my end. I know that with what I can do is try to help with that situation, I had some conversations with Aaron. Aaron’s a very special player to us and we want him here and we want him to be a part of this. I think with what these players have started to create, I think it would be special to have Aaron be a part of that, because of what we’ve talked about and some of the things that we want our players to represent and the way they go about their daily work. Everything that I’ve heard and in the short exposure that I’ve had to Aaron, he kind of personifies what we’re looking for. And I think the players have a huge amount of respect for him. We already know what the production that he’s had, that kind of speaks for itself. That’s why he’s an important part of what we’re trying to do. We’re going to try to come to a solution and a conclusion to this. I can’t tell you how happy I’ll be, hopefully, if I don’t have to answer any more of these questions about it (laughs).”
(On the tone of his conversations with Donald)
“I think the one thing that I would reiterate – (Executive Vice President of Football Operations/Chief Operating Officer) Kevin (Demoff), (General Manager) Les (Snead) and (Senior Assistant) Tony (Pastoors) have done a great job of kind of keeping me out of those discussions when it comes to the money and the specifics of it. And, Aaron and I’s discussions have been exclusive to you know, player/coach relationship types of things – what he’s missed out on, how much we can’t wait to get him back here. And Aaron loves football. He wants to be here. We respect their approach and where they’re at, their stance, kind of based on kind of what they want to get accomplished out of these things. But, with regards to mine and Aaron’s dialog, it’s been exclusively kind of player/coach football related stuff. And, that’s where I think it can be – that’s what you want it to be and that’s where I think it’s helpful and healthy for my role to be. That’s why you appreciate Les, Tony and Kevin taking that approach and kind of looking out. Let’s keep it about business with them and let them kind of get those things handled with the agents and you keep it about football with your players and that’s very helpful for me.”
(On who initiates those conversations with Donald)
“I’m kind of chasing him around like I’m chasing a girl in high school again right now (laughs). So, I reach out to Aaron, just like anything else. We’ve had a back-and-forth dialog. I’ve reached out to Aaron, but it’s kind of been a back-and-forth. He’s a guy that I enjoy talking to and I’ll enjoy it a lot more when I see him in person.”
(On if he thinks Donald will be ready to go once he gets back)
Yeah, well I think it’s going to be predicated on when he does get back. Aaron’s a special player. I know he’s taking good care of himself. Certainly there’s no substitute for actual practice and the stress that you get on your body when you’re putting pads on and the time in between plays. If there’s anybody that you feel like can try to mimic and emulate those things when he’s working out on his own, Aaron is one of those guys. But, we do definitely want to be aware of getting him back and being smart about it. While knowing that, if we do get it solved and come to a solution, he’s one of our best players – want to have him out there with his teammates, but not at the expense of not having a smart plan in place to where you rush him back and then it results in not having him for a couple weeks. So, hopefully those are things that we’ll have to figure out a plan sooner than later, but that’s definitely something based on when he comes back, we’ll have those discussions and that will involve (Director/Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott), (Strength and Conditioning coach) Ted (Rath), Aaron, our coaching staff and a lot of people involved in that conversation with how we feel like its best for our team and for him moving forward into the season.
(On if he is prepared for a scenario where Donald does not show up)
“Yeah. Certainly you have to. I think you always have to have those plans in place and I think that’s the one thing that you don’t want to have to do that, but I think what I would say that’s been such a breath of fresh air with our team and our players that have been here is, while they want to have Aaron back, they haven’t allowed it to be a distraction to what we’re trying to get done and guys are getting reps at the spot that you kind of project Aaron right now. I know that if that’s the case, they’ll be ready to go against Indianapolis and we got confidence in those guys to step up. Certainly, we know the type of player that Aaron is, but I think credit to the players right now that are here, they won’t allow it to be a distraction and if he does come back, everybody will welcome him back with open arms and be happy to have him.
It's game week ladies and gentlemen. The first regular season contest for the Los Angeles Rams is upon us. It went pretty fast I would say. Lets recap this past year shall we?
We went into 2016 with high hopes. 5th year of Fisher, shiny new draft picks in Jared Goff, Pharoah Cooper, Tyler Higbee and Mike Thomas. Todd Gurley was supposed to lead the league in rushing and our defense was out for blood.
Fast forward to week 1 and well, you know the story. Case Keenum comes out leading the charge and the Rams fall flat on their faces, losing to the abysmal 49ers in a treacherous 28-0 loss. The sky was falling and it was all Jeff Fishers fault. How would the team respond?
We're 3-1, sitting atop the NFC West. Expectations are high for the rest of the season. Fans haven't felt this way since 2006, back when I was still in 9th grade. The lowly Bills are coming to town and we're all feeling pretty good. The injury report comes out and William Hayes, Michael Brockers and Robert Quinn are all listed as OUT. Lesean McCoy proceeds to shred us for 150 yards rushing. We lose 31-19.
The next three games would be decided by a total of 13 points. 31-28 loss to Detroit, 17-10 loss vs NY and 13-10 loss vs Carolina. We finally pull out a victory in a 9-6 barnburner against the Jets. Even with the long awaited win, fans are still calling for Case Keenums head, and they get their wish.
Enter Jared Thomas Goff. The talented, strong armed, deadly accurate QB from Cal. Drafted 1st overall while giving away the house in return, we finally had our quarterback. At least that's what we thought. It's 10-0 with just over 5 mins to go in the 4th quarter. The Dolphins have struggled all day against the fierce Rams defense and Ryan Tannehill looks like a high school QB. Great start for the young rookie, looking at his first win as an NFL starter. To save you the agony of reliving what follows shortly afterwards, we have an entirely new coaching staff and Jared Goff is 0-7.
So how I do I feel about the first game of 2017? Cautiously optimistic. The Colts are coming to the coliseum without Andrew Luck, Vontae Davis and Ryan Kelly. If I was a fan of literally any other team in the NFL, I would mark this down as an automatic win. But, this is the Rams we're talking about. The same team that got swept by the 2-14 49ers.
However this game goes, it won't surprise me. If the offense comes out and puts up 450 yards of offense and we shut out the Colts, I'll still feel the same way I do now. Such is life of a Rams fan. Never get too high or too low. Hopefully, this season is a turning point in a forgettable 12 year history in which the Rams went 26-46-1 in games decided by 7 or less points, and haven't done better then 8-8.
Players to watch: Robert Quinn/Connor Barwin
After coming off an injury riddled 2016 season along with 2015, Quinn may be the key cog in our defense this year. In Wade Phillips scheme, he loves playing man to man. In order to do this effectively, you need a very good pass rush. With Aaron Donald likely out for a prolonged period of time, Quinn needs to be in his 2013 pro bowl form. We all know he has the talent, if healthy. I can see him getting 2 sacks in this game. With Connor, we need to see him generate push from the other side. He's looked pretty decent in the pre season this year, causing Derek Carr to hurry a throw and get picked by Trumaine Johnson. His pass rush is extremely important in this game.
Lamarcus Joyner
Switching from slot corner to FS, Joyner looks poised for either a breakout season, or a step back. A big hitter and above average in coverage, we need him to roam the backfield and keep Indys top two receivers from running by him. Both TY Hilton and Donte Moncrief have the speed to stretch a defense. If the above LBs aren't able to generate a pass rush, LJ will be counted on to make the receivers lives a living hell.
The entire Oline
This group has been a talking point for the last, I don't know, 10 years? These guys absolutely need to play well if we want to win any games. The Colts aren't particularly strong with their pass rush, but I've seen us get burnt many times by JAGS again and again. I trust McVay to help Jamon Brown and Big Rob. Of course, the left side is our strong point this year with Whitworth and Saffold manning that side. We should be able to eat the Colts lunch in the run game. I really would like to see a dominant performance. But again, Cautiously Optimistic.
Kayvon Webster
After being stuck behind a star studded defensive backfield, Webster finally gets his shot at a starting gig. With camp reports saying he's all over the field making plays, I feel good about his chances at succeeded across Trumaine Johnson. He needs to show he belongs in this league. Cover, tackle and don't get beat deep.
Tavon Austin
Can he return to his 2015 form? We all remember the game 4 years ago against the Colts when he broke out with 300 all purpose yards and 3 touchdowns. With no Vontae Davis to adopt, and Sammy Watkins, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods to take the pressure off, I expect Tavon to do pretty much whatever he wants this game. McVay will come up with a way to deploy him whether it's in the slot, outside or even out of the backfield.
Jared Goff
Did you think I was going to forget about our golden boy? He now has weapons, a real NFL offense and half a season worth of games under his belt. I think he needs to come out firing and show the world he's ready to rock and roll. The Colts are the perfect team to unleash his arsenal and we will see just how much he's developed.
Summary:
This is a game the Rams SHOULD win. But this is the NFL and anything can happen. Charlie Frye...err...Scott Tolzein, shouldn't be a problem for the defense. That offense has looked bad during the preseason with a total of 13 points scored coming from the 1st team. But they still have weapons with Hilton, Moncrief, Gore and Doyle. We can't let those guys kill us. And I don't think we will.
I remember reading Nolan Cromwell getting cut by the RAMS in 1988 (I think) in the LA Herald newspaper. It wasn't even an article, just a list of NFL team cuts with his name only. I was like, WTF??
Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker dies at 67 Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Walter Becker, the guitarist, bassist and co-founder of the rock group Steely Dan, has died. He was 67. His official website announced his death Sunday with no further details.
Donald Fagen released a statement in remembrance of his Steely Dan bandmate. Fagen said he intends to keep the music they created together alive as long as he can with the Steely Dan band.
"Walter Becker was my friend, my writing partner and my bandmate since we met as students at Bard College in 1967," Fagen wrote. "He was smart as a whip, an excellent guitarist and a great songwriter. He was cynical about human nature, including his own, and hysterically funny."
Becker had missed performances earlier in the summer in Los Angeles and New York. Fagen later told Billboard that Becker was recovering from a procedure and hoped that he’d be fine soon.
A Queens native, Becker met Fagen as students at Bard College in 1967 and founded the band in 1972. Steely Dan's debut LP, Can’t Buy a Thrill produced the radio hits Do It Again and Reeling in the Years. The group’s biggest success came with the 1977 album Aja, including the top-20 singles Peg and Deacon Blues.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
LOOK: Browns do something they hadn't done in 31 years and fans are celebrating
Since the NFL doesn't hand out trophies to teams that go undefeated during the preseason, Browns fans decided to take things into their own hands this year by honoring their team after it went 4-0 during the preseason.
Although the fans in Cleveland didn't throw a parade to honor the Browns' undefeated preseason record, the fans did celebrate by making T-shirts. And guys, I'm not sure if you've been following the Browns lately, but their fans haven't had much to cheer about lately, so we're going to give them this.
If you don't like that T-shirt, don't worry, you have choices. A successful preseason is so rare in Cleveland that multiple companies decided to celebrate the momentous occasion by making a T-shirt.
Here's another shirt celebrating the team's "preseason championship."
The Browns' 4-0 record marked the first time since 1986 that the team went undefeated during the preseason, and based on history, that could mean good things for the Browns.
Before 2017, the Browns had only gone undefeated during the preseason four other times in franchise history (1950, 1962, 1982, 1986), and the team finished each of those seasons with a winning record. As a matter of fact, the Browns actually made the playoffs in three of those four seasons and even went on to win a world championship in 1950.
Browns fans clearly know their history, which is why I think they're all expecting to win the Super Bowl now following Cleveland's undefeated preseason.
"A year ago we were 0-4, so these guys came back with a different mentality," Jackson said, via Cleveland.com. "We understand it's just the preseason, but you've got to start someplace. They accomplished something that hadn't been done in 31 years, which is be 4-0 and that's a credit to them."
The Browns' second-year coach wants to take the momentum of the preseason into the team's opener against the Steelers.
"I can see something building in the locker room, and that's what you want," Jackson said. "We all know football's a whole lot different in the regular season, coming up against Pittsburgh."
The good news for the Browns is that a 4-0 preseason record means they're still mathematically alive to win the Super Bowl.
Sean McVay is aware of all the doubters; they don't bother him
Rams Coach Sean McVay is by far the youngest NFL coach at 31. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Gary Klein
It’s mostly been compliments for Sean McVay since the Rams made him the youngest coach in modern NFL history.
Team executives rave about the 31-year-old’s football knowledge. Players and personnel throughout the organization laud his leadership, teaching skills and presence.
McVay has also been the target of skepticism and doubt.
For example, former St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz recently caused a stir when he questioned McVay’s expertise as an offensive guru in published comments he made to the author of a forthcoming book.
Through it all, McVay maintains the same self-deprecating attitude. He shakes off the praise and politely accepts the shots.
“We haven’t won a game,” he says repeatedly. “I haven’t done anything.”
McVay knows the real evaluation begins Sept. 10, when the Rams play the Indianapolis Colts in their opener at the Coliseum.
That will be the first opportunity to see how the Washington Redskins’ former offensive coordinator transitions to the full responsibilities of a head coach when it counts.
McVay, who will call plays, took over a Rams team that finished 4-12 last season under former coach Jeff Fisher and interim coach John Fassel.
McVay hired Wade Phillips, 70, as defensive coordinator. The 40th-year NFL coaching veteran has installed the 3-4 defensive scheme that helped the Denver Broncos win the Super Bowl in the 2015 season.
Fassel was retained as special teams coordinator.
The Rams’ schedule includes games against four playoff teams from last season: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks.
Last season, the Rams traveled 35,266 air miles, most in the NFL. This season, they will travel a league-high 32,600 miles, including another trip to London, where they will be the home team at Twickenham Stadium for a Week 7 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
That will be only one of the challenges for McVay as he tries to reverse the fortunes of a franchise that has not had a winning season since 2003, not made the playoffs since 2004 and not finished at least .500 since 2006.
McVay knows that questions about his age and ability to lead the Rams will continue until he proves otherwise.
“We know that it is a production-based business,” McVay said. “We’ve got a great challenge ahead of us, but what you feel good about are the coaches and players that we’re going to go on this journey with, these are the types of guys that you want to do that with. You feel like you have a chance to accomplish some things together and work through some adversity that we will inevitably face.”
Offense
Quarterback Jared Goff, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, is directing an offense that features components of the highly productive schemes McVay used in Washington and offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur helped implement with the Atlanta Falcons.
Goff, 22, was winless in seven starts last season. Some of his struggles were self-inflicted, but he was operating in an offense that featured an inconsistent left tackle and a receiving corps that often failed to execute.
With Goff’s development paramount, the Rams made multiple offseason and preseason moves to stabilize the line and surround him with better players.
That included a near-complete rebuild of the receiving corps.
The Rams signed Robert Woods in March, drafted rookie Cooper Kupp in April and traded for veteran wideout Sammy Watkins in July.
The trio provides short, mid-range and deep-threat potential. Veteran Tavon Austin did not participate in offseason workouts while recovering from wrist surgery and was sidelined for all of training camp and the preseason because of a hamstring injury.
Running back Todd Gurley, the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year in 2015, is trying to rebound from a disappointing second season when he rushed for 885 yards in 278 carries and averaged only 3.2 yards a carry.
The Rams signed left tackle Andrew Whitworth to anchor the line and protect Goff. The three-time Pro Bowl selection is part of a unit that includes left guard Rodger Saffold, center John Sullivan, right guard Jamon Brown and right tackle Rob Havenstein.
Rookie tight end Gerald Everett, the Rams’ second-round pick, is elusive after making catches. He and second-year pro Tyler Higbee will play important roles in McVay’s tight end-centric scheme, especially since Temarrick Hemingway suffered a broken fibula that required surgery and could sideline him eight to 10 weeks.
Defense
Phillips has coached several Hall of Famers and is renowned for improving defenses in his first season with a new team.
Much of his success with the Rams could depend on how the situation with star lineman Aaron Donald plays out. Donald has two years remaining on his contract but did not report for training camp because of a contract dispute.
During the offseason, the Rams added two players with ties to Phillips. Outside linebacker Connor Barwin played for Phillips with the Houston Texans. Cornerback Kayvon Webster played for him with the Broncos.
Robert Quinn, a two-time Pro Bowl end, shifts to outside linebacker in Phillips’ scheme. Quinn, who had back surgery after the 2015 season, is trying to come back from several injuries that slowed or sidelined him in 2016.
Webster will start opposite cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who is playing with the franchise tag for the second consecutive season.
Lamarcus Joyner moved from slot corner to free safety. Maurice Alexander is the strong safety.
Special teams
Punter Johnny Hekker was arguably the Rams’ most valuable player in 2016, when he averaged 47.8 yards a kick and earned his third Pro Bowl selection.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein is coming off a solid 2016 performance, when he made 19 of 22 field-goal attempts, including two of four from 50 yards or longer.
Second-year pros Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas are competing to return kickoffs.
Preseason is over, but the madness has just begun. Teams all over the NFL cut players from their squad and left one executive to say that he believes Sunday will have the most waiver claims and signings the league has ever seen. Here is one player that was drafted by the Rams and makes too much sense to bring back to the organization.
His name is John Greco and he is a former third-round pick from the 2008 NFL Draft. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams out of Toledo. Greco, after three seasons with the Rams was traded to the Cleveland Browns for a seventh-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. After that, the Rams continued to have offensive line trouble and Greco started to shine in his new home. Greco even nabbed a five-year contract extension for his production in Cleveland and shortly became known as one of the better offensive guards in football.
Greco played with some serious all-world talent in future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas and Alex Mack. He even took over for Mack at the center position after he was sidelined with a broken fibula. The 32-year old veteran guard was considered a reliable player during his time in Cleveland and just these past couple of days Greco was cut from the Browns. With the combination of the Browns signing Kevin Zeitler in the off-season and Greco coming off the lisfranc injury the Browns found they weren't going to be able to start him and so they let him go giving him a chance at a starting gig somewhere else.
Last season according to Pro Football Focus, John Greco graded out at an 81.3 overall which ranks him 18th for all offensive guards. That's already pretty good and probably an upgrade on most teams, but with the Rams they employ Jamon Brown at right guard who put up the 54th highest grade at offensive guard. The Rams may like Brown's upside, but the bottom line is that Brown has been inconsistent. He's shown flashes of being a starting caliber NFL guard, but then again he's shown plenty of miscues that have hurt his team. Brown would be a good backup to have, but as a starter the Rams can't be too excited. Make no mistake, players get better in the off-season and while Head coach Sean McVay was excited to get Brown going, ever since the preseason started Brown wasn't the player that McVay had made him sound.
The Rams aside from Brown are looking at a pretty solid offensive line. They signed an All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth to protect young Jared Goff's blindside. They still have veteran former second-round pick they drafted back in 2010 Rodger Saffold who continues to be solid year in and year out. The Rams scooped up a stop gap center that had familiarity in McVay's offensive system in Washington, John Sullivan. Plus the Rams have a nice young right tackle that was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Rob Havenstein. So, if the Rams pick up their old draft pick Greco as a stop gap option at right guard while the Rams try to develop a player like Jamon Brown or even Andrew Donnal that might be the best plan of action. Obviously, with the season a week away, Greco wouldn't start right away. He would have to learn the system and develop some chemistry with the guys in practices, but if the Rams could get Greco acclimated to the system and ready by week four of the season that would be an upgrade.
Like aforementioned Whitworth, Greco has been a model of consistency. The Rams would likely employ a top 12 offensive line in all of football if Greco came to the organization and especially if he continued to play at the above average clip he's been playing at for the last half decade.
The Rams starting offensive line with Greco would look like this according to Pro Football Focus.
LT Andrew Whitworth - 90.2 overall grade
LG Rodger Saffold - 78.8 overall grade
C John Sullivan - 72.2 overall grade
RG John Greco - 81.3 overall grade
RT Rob Havenstein - 78.9 overall grade
Keep this in mind as well. Saffold's grade from last season looks amazing with the fact he had to play on the same side next to Greg Robinson. Plus, Havenstein had to play next to Brown and still ended up with a 78.9 grade. The reason I bring this up is simple. The Rams are going to see serious improvement in the offensive line this season, but if they bring in Greco and install that continuity, you will see players like Havenstein playing at the highest level. Just by having Whitworth next to Saffold you are going to see Saffold more comfortable than he has ever looked. The thing many people seem to overlook is the fact when you have talent and put someone who is below average or an overall struggling player next to that talent. You see immediate regression from that player. One perfect example of this is when you go back and look at former right tackle Joe Barksdale and how he started off looking great, but then the amount of miscues caused by his right guard Davin Joseph disrupted his play and pretty much everyone else's.
It may seem unfair to bail on Jamon Brown now, but the Rams seriously need to have that reliability in place for at least this year. This is not to say Brown can't play in this league, this is about Brown developing further with the new coaching staff that are complete teachers of the game. This is so the Rams know they have a reliable veteran that has logged many quarters in his career and this is so the Rams have a veteran presence that takes the load off of the young talent on offense. Greco is an ideal offensive lineman and his forte is in the run blocking department. Todd Gurley, last year had a rough time finding anything, but opposing defenders in his face. Greco would continue to add to the new look Rams defense and allow Gurley some help with his run blocking as well as Havenstein on the right side.
The first step to fixing any problem is realizing there is one. The Rams have done a nice job in fixing many problems this off-season, but they now have an opportunity to fix one of the biggest ones and most important ones. The Rams need to sign John Greco and bring him back for round two with the organization.
How the NFL waiver wire works: Rules, deadlines, priority order, more
Here’s everything you need to know about the NFL’s waiver wire system. by Jeremy Reisman
Cut day has come and gone and now all 32 NFL teams now sit with a comfortable 53-man roster. But the team building is far from over. With literally over 1,000 players now out of a job, it’s each general manager’s duty to scour the market and add players that could help their team.
However, there are rules to be had. Not every player can immediately join any team. That would be chaos. Instead, the NFL devised the waiver wire, which fantasy players are probably more than familiar with. But the rules aren’t all the same, so let’s break down exactly what the NFL waiver wire is.
When must teams put in their claims by?
Normally, when a player is waived, teams have 24 hours to put in a claim. But it’s a little different during these 53-man cuts. Teams have until noon on Sunday to put in their waiver claims, even if a player wasn’t waived until the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Saturday.
At noon, teams will be notified of which players they were awarded then and which players went unclaimed.
Where does the practice squad fit in?
Any player eligible for the practice squad must first go through waivers to make the 10-man roster. If a player makes it unclaimed through waivers, he is then eligible to join the practice squad of any team he desires. Typically if there’s mutual interest, they’ll rejoin the team that waived them out of courtesy and familiarity, but it is not required.
If a player is claimed by a team, he may not go to their practice squad. To make it on their practice squad, he must be waived again and go unclaimed by all other teams.
For this weekend, teams can start adding unclaimed waived players to their practice squad starting at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
What is the waiver wire?
The NFL waiver wire is a system to make sure that teams are given a fair shot at young players in the league that have been cut from another team. When a player is waived, there is a 24-hour period in which they are on “waivers.” Any NFL team that would like to add that player can then put in a claim, and after the waiver claim period is up, the team with the highest priority is awarded the player. He must immediately join their 53-man roster; he cannot be moved to a practice squad if claimed.
How is waiver wire priority determined?
From the first day of the league year until the conclusion of Week 3 of the regular season, waiver wire priority is determined by how teams finished the prior season—or to put simply, the draft order. This system is created this way to benefit teams that were really bad last year. The Cleveland Browns finished 1-15 last year, therefore they’ll have the No. 1 priority of any waived players until Week 3 of the season.
The Detroit Lions finished with the 21st pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, therefore their priority is 21. The Lions will only be able to add a player via waivers if the 20 teams in front of them pass.
Starting Week 4 of the regular season, waiver priority is determined by records of the current season. For example, if a team is 0-3 after three weeks, they’ll likely have the No. 1 waiver wire priority (pending tiebreakers).
Who is subject to the waiver wire?
Just because a player is released doesn’t mean they have to go through waivers. If a player has four or more accrued seasons, they are simply released of their current contract and immediately become a free agent able to sign with any team at any time.
But if a player has three or fewer seasons in the NFL, they must go through waivers. That’s why you’ll see some players listed as “released” (not subject to waivers) vs. “waived” (on waivers).
What does waived/injured mean?
A player who is “waived/injured” is subject to waivers all the same, but the team is notifying to the rest of the league that this player has suffered an injury. It is usually common courtesy for teams to let these player go through waivers unclaimed, but it is not against the rules to put in a claim.
If the player is claimed, he must go on the team’s 53-man roster, like usual. If unclaimed, the team that waived him has two options: either place the player on injured reserve or come to an injury settlement and allow them to become a free agent.
LT Andrew Whitworth-- Brings great leadership & a all-pro type of game.
LG Roger Saffold -- brings veteran type of play to help solidify the left side of the line.
C John Sullivan-- brings knowledge of McVays system & support to the young O'lineman. He is the eyes of the line & excellent play caller formations.
RG Jamon Brown -- going into his 3rd year as a 3rd rd pick. He should bring upside.A player I see getting better each day under The Kromers .I think he will play with more of a toughness .
RT -- Bob Rob Havenstein -- Has the perfect frame for RT.Needs to work on balance against the pass rush.Has those long arms to help create a solid pocket for Goff( who needs take shorter steps) from fast edge rushers. Is a excellent run blocker.
The Big 5 is just what Ram fans have wanted for years .
Can McVay break the horrible b/u QB history the Rams have perpetuated over decades and multiple coaching changes?
The Colts have traded for the Pats' Brissett, a significant upgrade over Luck's b/u. We've historically made 2nd & 3rd string QBs look like Montana and Brady over the years, losing games marked down as solid W's and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Can the Colts get him ready in 7 days? Can the Rams win a game they should obviously win?
Todd Gurley's rookie year was amazing! He broke many tackles and made alot of plays out of nothing.
Year 2 teams adjusted and he had a hard time getting going behind the line. Tavon was also shut down and could not make the plays we are used to seeing from him.
This year this will change, I think there is a huge emphasis on breaking tackles and the additions of Watkins and Everett will greatly help.
Looking at this team, the athletisicm and potential on offense is scary.
If you want a break from the excitement and drama of today's roster transactions, look to todays list. Today, I list two of the Rams top quarterbacks in their history. (Enjoy the highlights of our top player below!) I also had to post highlights of a favorite, hard-hitting player of many of ours, -a guy that could have been considered one of the great safeties in this league, if injuries did not wrack his body.
Also listed are the incredible number of key players picked up in trades and free agency this year, that are sure to be key contributors to a successful 2017 season. Enjoy!
Future Risers: Sammy Watkins, Andrew Whitworth, Robert Woods, Kayvon Webster.
Honorable Mention: John Williams, Billy Waddy, Charles White, Ethan Westbrooks, Zach Weigert, Jay Williams, Will Witherspoon, Alvin Wright, Justin Watson, Grant Williams, Stan West, Ron Waller, Tommy Wilson, Scott Wells, Kenny Washington.
Notable: Curt Warner :rant: ("Where's my highlight reel?!), Wes Welker, Terrance Wilkins,Glen Walker, Steve Walsh, Cody Wichman, Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, Jabara Williams, Alexander Wright.
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