If so, then consider this...

Wait 'til:

AD returns to the lineup.
Watkins has fully mastered this playbook.
The right side of our OL is up to speed.
Everett has become our starting TE (by game 4 at the latest).
Reynolds has replaced Woods as starter in 3 WR sets (by game 6, I'm thinking).
Wade allows all his starters to play all 4 quarters.

Think about it. And try to wipe that silly grin off your face as you do. Lol.

Jared Goff, Rams offense show real improvement against Raiders
By VINCENT BONSIGNORE


OAKLAND — Jared Goff lofted a deep ball at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on Saturday night. Sammy Watkins, the Rams’ dynamic new wide receiver, galloped toward the end zone as the ball fell from the night.

But just as it was about to settle into Watkins’ hands, a Raiders cornerback swatted it away.

On a night in which just about everything went right for Goff, the Rams and what appears to be their rapidly developing new offense, the near touchdown elicited smiles rather than grimaces afterward.

Maybe it’s the feeling that play will be there for the Rams’ taking again sometime soon. And, if Goff launches the ball exactly the same as he did Saturday it almost assuredly will result in a touchdown.

“I told him on the sideline I’m going to keep throwing to him,” Goff said.



Or maybe it was just the realization that as good as things go sometimes – and they went pretty darn-near perfect for Goff and the offense Saturday – you just aren’t going to connect on every play.

Whatever the catalyst, with the Rams offense humming in a way we just haven’t seen in awhile and with Goff looking every bit like the quarterback drafted first overall last year rather than the rookie that struggled all of his first season, the Rams could actually appreciate the near miss rather than lament it.

It was that kind of night for the Rams, whose first-team offense marched up and down the field against the Raiders while scoring 17 points in three drives.

And in the process, revealed a young quarterback in Goff who stood tall and poised in the pocket to pick the Raiders apart on 16-of-20 passing for 160 yards and a touchown.

An offensive line that protected him – the only sack given up was when Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack savagely split open a tight end double-team – a rookie wide receiver in Cooper Kupp who keeps getting open against NFL defensive backs, and a creative offensive scheme under new coach Sean McVay that, coupled with the vast improvements at wide receiver, line and Goff, might finally add some excitement and firepower to that side of the line of scrimmage.

Even Todd Gurley looked better while averaging 4.8 yards per carry on eight touches.

It was only one night. And a preseason game at that.

But even on a night a would-be touchdown went awry, there sure was plenty to smile about after Goff and the offense shredded the Raiders in a 24-21 victory.

“Once we moved the ball, got a couple of first downs and got into a rhythm, I think we could definitely feel it,” Goff said. “Certainly by the end of that second drive we felt like we had a good tempo going and we were able to move the ball on almost every down.”

That kind of efficiency has been hard to find with the Rams for so long, it seemed almost a shock to hear players and coaches openly talk about it.

The reality is, it’s probably to be expected. Or at least cautiously anticipated.

The Rams went deep this offseason to build a smoother road on which Goff at least had a fighting chance to reach his ceiling. And in turn, help pull the Rams offense into this century.

For all the flack the second-year quarterback took in a regrettable rookie season, no quarterback can muster much production when he’s playing under duress almost every time he drops back to pass, doesn’t have viable targets to throw to and has no running game to lean on in support.

The additions of left tackle Andrew Whitworth, center John Sullivan, receivers Kupp, Watkins, Robert Woods and Gerald Everett and the hiring of McVay were the Rams putting money and attention toward glaring problems.

And from offseason workouts to their recently concluded training camp to the first two preseason games, it’s obvious those changes are taking hold.

And in the process, presenting us with a Goff who can now showcase the elite skill-set that pushed him to the top of the 2016 draft and the bevy of new toys he has to work with.

“I thought collectively our offensive line did a great job, Jared did a good job getting the ball out of his hands and the receivers and tight ends separated n the timing and rhythm of the play,” McVay said.

Kupp caught six passes for 70 yards and was a big-time target on third downs to keep drives alive.

“He’s great player,” Goff said. “He makes it easy for me, the way he runs his routes. He made some really good catches, contested catches, that were big time for us, moved the chains. We expect the same results in the future.”

Woods made two others for 19 yards. Everett, a rookie tight end from South Alabama, had four catches for 30 yards and a flashy 23-yarder to keep the chains moving.

Goff looked confident and alert spreading the ball around, and according to Pro Football Focus he completed 75 percent of his passes in which he wasn’t under pressure.

Amazing how that works, isn’t it?

You can’t discount what Goff did. He was billed as an accurate thrower coming out of Cal and a good decision-maker on where to go with the ball. He was every bit of that Saturday.

But he also showed solid footwork in moving his pocket from time to time to buy an extra second or two for a receiver to break open before delivering solid throws.

It isn’t reason to celebrate. Yet. But certainly it’s something real, something solid, to build on.

In particular, the 23-yard touchdown throw to Kupp in which Goff showed some nice footwork and alertness to let the play develop and then found the wide open Kupp for a touchdown.

“It was planned like that,” Goff said. “We ran it in practice with similar results, Cooper ran free. Came out, saw it, put the ball up.”

And to think, all of this after Goff opened this week in practice getting bitten by the interception bug, including three on Monday that, had the ball bounced differently could have been five.

By Saturday, he was razor sharp.

“My experience with Jared to this point is Jared is nothing but a mentally tough guy who has got resilience and the ability to respond when things don’t work out,” McVay said.

“I think he’s able to take it for what it is and learn from it moving forward but I think it’s also our job as coaches to put him in situations that are conducive to making good decisions consistently.”

That happened quite a bit Saturday.

And it’s not to far-fetched to think that might be the norm this year rather than the exception.
http://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/2...ffense-show-real-improvement-against-raiders/

This is a solid easy to understand breakdown of how former OC Frank Cignetti was able to incorporate Tavon Austin into the ground game with Gurley in 2015.
Obviously McVay is not Cignetti(thankfully) but some of these rushing concepts i believe could fit into our current personnel. I'd like to see Austin worked back into the running game this season. It looks like we've finally got some WR talent outside with Watkins, Woods, Reynolds, Thomas and inside with Kupp and the TE Everett.

Anyway, i'm not ready to jettison Tavon Austin just yet.
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Sad news

I've always been a huge Jerry Lewis fan , when for as long as I can remember ,that actually applies here , some of my earliest memories of watching TV involve Jerry Lewis

Some of the very first movies I remember watching were The Nutty Professor and Family Jewels , to his MDA Telethon every Labor day Weekend

I own every Martin and Lewis film ever made , and not all Jerry Lewis solo movies , but I own a lot ,

Lewis was probably never politically correct , and I didn't always agree with some of his views and was probably a real jerk in real life

He'll still go down as one of my favorites ,

can't say this comes as any surprise , as Jerry Lewis has been in poor health for a number of years now

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Just kidding mods. We've been so bad for the last 10 years we have become accustomed to extremely early mocks because often enough we discovered under Fisher our season was over just about the same time it began. You can feel the difference in the air, this current Rams team is here to compete, they are going to leave a mark.

Now, what I do want to address is our upcoming game against San Die ... er, the Chargers. This game is about bragging rights, future ticket sales & who the rightful heir is as the proper host for professional football in Los Angeles. I'd kick Spanos and the Chargers right back to San Diego if it were my choice, but being it isn't, we must show them who's boss, which calls for a well deserved ass-kicking. While i'd prefer a blow-out victory, just winning gets the point across. Being our starters are likely to see the better part of the first 3/4's of this game, i'm hoping everyone is healthy and starting so we can truly get a feel for what our team is about. This upcoming game is important for our growth as a team and about the pride we carry in our team and the Los Angeles Rams as a top tier NFL football destination city, so let's fill the Coliseum and shout down those wannabe usurpers from down under. Rivers dissed L.A. when told the Chargers were moving here, lets let him know that he is free to leave anytime after we leave him and his team bruised & battered. jmo.

I was blown away about how good our offense looked. It was surreal how effortless it looked for them to succeed against Oakland's #1's. But still, Sammy Watkins was an afterthought as he is still learning the offense. He was used as a decoy for that Cooper Kupp TD, but imagine when he plays without thinking (playing by instinct)? He had to be stoked by what he saw last night with his new Ram's offense! Yes, Tavon Austin is never going to be a great WR imho. But he can wreck a game in his gadget guy role. The PR's I have seen play are not doing much, but when he gets the ball it's like "hold onto your seat" time. Jet sweeps that worked for some games in Gurley's rookie year, WILL work again.

There is a chance with all of the weapons that we now have, opposing defenses will look defenseless during games. I think this is going to be a magical year.

The letter D has potentially 2 of the top 10 Ram players of all time. One player cemented his legacy in the 1980's, while the other is in the middle of his prime. Sadly, both players careers also will be marked by ugly salary negotiations. One ended badly, while hopefully the other situation will end soon, with Rams AND the player being victorious.

1. Eric Dickerson
2. Fred Dryer
3. Aaron Donald (3 until further notice, but I predict 2 by the end of the season, and 1 by the end of his career)
4. Reggie Doss
5. Preston Dennard
6. Troy Drayton
7. Robert Delpino
8. Carroll Dale
9. Johnny Drake
10. JoLon Dunbar

Honorable mention: Harvey Dahl, Dick Daugherty, Cody Davis, Charles DeJurnett, Jack Dwyer, Jamie Duncan.

Notable: Tom Dempsey, Marcus Dupree, Torin Dorin, Steve Dils, Ernest Dye, Austin Davis

No: Craig Dahl

48
Might as well mark these down as truths that just haven’t taken place yet. However, they will this evening in Oakland, California.
by joeyaucoin Aug 19, 2017, 11:00am CDT T


Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
There’s an eager anticipation in the air, as the Los Angeles Rams are starting to hand some solid playing time to their stars. Yes, developing the depth of the team is a significant goal at this point in the preseason, but just as important is putting your star players in the thick of it.

Here are my instantly regrettable predictions about tonight’s away game against the Oakland Raiders :

1. Jamon Brown is going to keep his job in a triumphant effort. What can I say? I like Brown’s happy go-lucky vibe, as if he’s unaware that the Rams fanbase is loudly freaking out that the Rams are going to be starting a bag of crushed up newspapers at right guard. I think Jamon Brown heard a whole boatload of negative comments about him this week and it fired it up. He’s going to prove that he’s belongs on that O-line with strong footwork and no sacks — and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer is going to get the lion’s share of the credit.
2. It won’t be a bad game for Sammy Watkins, but he’s not going to light up the scoreboard. I feel that Watkins is healthy, but still learning the playbook. He’ll have a moment where he looks good, but keep your expectations in check. I see Watkins with two targets and one reception for 8 yards.
3. Ejuan Price will have a strong showing, making a strong case for a starting job in week one. I’m a big fan of this guy. I love his quickness and his willingness to never give up on the play. Price will log one sack, three tackles, and a deflection.
4. Two touchdown passes for Jared Goff and both of them will go to Josh Reynolds. Reynolds fills such a need for the receiving core and it will become extremely apparent tonight against the Raiders. The rangy wideout is going to make the plays of the game, making a spectacular diving catch in the end zone — twice.
5. Justin Davis will not fumble the ball and he will turn heads, break ankles, and prove to the coaching staff that he should be the backup to Todd Gurley. Davis will score a touchdown and rack up 46 yards. (It will be noted here that I desperately want Davis to get over his ball security issues because I think he’s super fast.)

So, at least we know that much about how the game will go tonight. I don’t know EVERYTHING that will happen, just those five things. You’re welcome.

For those that don't know the history of this ship, It was a top secret mission for the first Bomb dropped on Japan. When it sank, nobody knew, so rescue was hindered.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...i-ship-uss-indianapolis/ar-AAql9Fy?li=BBnb7Kz

Paul Allen finds lost WWII ship USS Indianapolis
7 / 24

USA TODAY
Leigh Hedger 5 hrs ago

© Provided by Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives At the Mare Island Navy Yard after her final overhaul, July 12, 1945. Circles on photo mark recent alterations to the ship. Note stripped Cleveland class light cruiser in the right…

"We've located the wreckage of the USS Indianapolis in Philippine Sea at 5500m below the sea."


That tweet from entrepreneur and billionaire Paul Allen around 12:20 p.m. Saturday confirmed what many have been searching for since the ship was sunk on July 30, 1945.

Allen, who is leading a 13-person team on his 250-foot research ship, the R/V Petrel, said the wreckage was found at a depth of more than 18,000 feet.

The heavy cruiser, carrying 1,197 sailors and Marines, was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine while sailing back to the Philippines after delivering components for "Little Boy," the atomic bomb that helped end World War II. It took only 12 minutes to sink.

While 900 crewmen made it through the initial sinking, only 316 survived to be rescued when help arrived five days later on Aug. 2. Many had died of exposure or thirst, drowned or were attacked by sharks.

Families of those aboard the ship found out about the deaths of their loved ones just as the rest of the country was celebrating the conclusion of World War II.

The latest break in the search for the wreckage came in July 2016, when the Naval History and Heritage Command Communication and Outreach Division reported that a sailor had confirmed that a tank landing ship, LST-779, had passed the Indianapolis 11 hours before the torpedo struck. That backed up the testimony of Captain Charles McVay III and was confirmed by deck logs.

That finding narrowed the search — to a 600 square miles of open ocean

“To be able to honor the brave men of the USS Indianapolis and their families through the discovery of a ship that played such a significant role in ending World War II is truly humbling,” Allen said in a statement. “As Americans, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the crew for their courage, persistence and sacrifice in the face of horrendous circumstances. While our search for the rest of the wreckage will continue, I hope everyone connected to this historic ship will feel some measure of closure at this discovery so long in coming.”

Allen’s team is still surveying the site of the wreckage and plans to conduct a live tour of the wreckage in the next few weeks. The crew is working with the Navy and plans to honor the remaining 22 USS Indianapolis crew members and families of crew members.

"Even in the worst defeats and disasters there is valor and sacrifice that deserves to never be forgotten," said Sam Cox, director of the Naval History and Heritage Command, in a statement. "They can serve as inspiration to current and future Sailors enduring situations of mortal peril. There are also lessons learned, and in the case of the Indianapolis, lessons re-learned, that need to be preserved and passed on, so the same mistakes can be prevented, and lives saved."

In March 2015, an Allen expedition team discovered the remains of the Japanese battleship Musashi, and this past March his team found the Artigliere, a World War II destroyer.

Not sure this is the whole thing but I was able to find this.

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I got a Skystream One android streaming box. I'm in Pennsylvania and watched the game last night on a local California station in HD great picture. There is other options too in case that site goes down. It cost me 150.00 for the system, just Google it. All you need is a hdmi hook up on your TV and good Internet. The movie selection is incredible and other stuff is unlimited.You can even get on Facebook for for technical help and you get answers in minutes, it tells you of updates and does it on its own with the click of a couple buttons. My Comcast contact is up in October and wanted other options. Probably going to keep Comcast for the wife but drop all the sports and movie channels and go pretty much basic.
I'm 55 year's old and not that tech savy and it's easy for me. The wife, lol, forget about it.

I've never hid my thoughts on Goff and what I believe will be of his career.

That said...

I find myself seeing some great pocket awareness, I keep telling myself "damn, that was a nice throw" or "good decision"

He has found a blanket with Kupp...that ball to Sammy in the end zone was spot on, Watkins just didn't see it.

So I will say, if he is able to keep this up, I will gladly eat my crow. I think this offense is going to be exciting.

last night, I watched the game live thru the local LA channel, it was great. I needed to go to bed so I recorded the game on NFLN. My god. I understand you want a woman, but her voice fucking ruins the game for me, maybe they could get someone who doesn't sound like they are mimicking a bull dyke in a comedy skit.

Also the guy was rooting for the raiders. I'm sure it was just their coverage, but it erked me.

Good fucking showing on offense. I hope our D is just being vanilla.

Who are your Rams Risers and Fallers after preseason game 2 vs Da Raida's.

Some players are clearly stepping up and seizing the moment while others are fading. Who do you have and why

Here are mine:

Risers:
Goff - huge game. Deadly accurate. On pace for 30+ points vs a good defense. Would have been better if Watkins catches the TD.

Mannion- played with grit and leadership with a crappy Oline.

Gurley- looked more determined and grinded out some hard yards at about 5 ypc.

Jamon Brown - Better game. Not perfect but I can now sleep at night. No major mishaps. Still doesn't maintain blocks long in run game but real solid in pass game.

Havenstein- another solid game.

Whitworth/Saffold/Sullivan- all very solid games, giving Jared a wall to sit behind and opening some holes. Safffold with huge push in run game.

Kupp- star rising after some clutch catches and a TD.

Everett- more big plays solidifying him as a top WR Threat.

Pharaoh- more clutch catches in traffic with strong hands.

Trumaine- reminds us and Carr that he makes plays. Shut up raiders fans for a while.

Mike Thomas - flashed elusiveness and ability to separate. Caught the dam ball.

Reynolds- in the words of Randy Moss "Just throw the ball up man".

Fallers:

Don't get butt hurt this is my opinion.

Joyner/Alexander- you dudes gave up a TD to a no name TE. We can't have that. Tighten it up. Alexander missed a few
Tackles and Joyner got flagged twice. To his defense they were questionable calls.

Spruce- your disappearing bro.

Higbee- your run and pass blocking is horrendous dude. Good thing you showed some nice routes and separation in the WR department or you are free falling your way off the field.

Pace Murphy- you were so bad last week that you made my list this week even though I have no idea how you did this week, yea I'm still so disturbed by last week, it was like watching the excorcist when I was by my self at home at 7 years old. Scary stuff man.

That's all I got for now.

Would like to get some reactions going in a definite spot instead of piling on in the game thread.

This is a game I'm definitely watch again as I had stream trouble, but there's some obvious things to point out.

The first string offense looked great

Kupp looks like he could be and extremely reliable chain mover. He's a taller version of all these slot guys you see in the league like Cole Beasley, Edelman, Amendola, etc.

Gerald Everett moves like a running back with the ball, which is insanely impressive for his size.

I liked what I saw out of most of the receivers, including Mike Thomas, before he got knocked out. Shame about that.

Mannion didn't step too far out his frame. He managed well and got the win in the end on a great adjustment by Reynolds. He probably should have seen Travis Wilson wide open, but I won't complain.

Defensively, I would like to re-watch to get a better gauge of some guys, but there were some good splash plays out there.

You see this kid. He goes 6 for 70 and a TD.

I can see that becoming a regular thing even as Watkins opens up things further. This dude is beyond being a rookie.

I'm now feeling pretty good about that bet (what was it again? 70 catches 800 yards? something like that?)

Anyway, I haven't been this excited about a rookie since AD.

Seriously.

we have real WRs and TEs that need to be on the field... Austin ..assuming he is on the team when the regular season starts.... he could run back kicks for us, and line up in the backfield on 3rd down passing downs....that's a lot of money to pay a guy to only do that..but Kupp.... double TE combos... Cooper...Thomas... Reynolds.... if Spruce makes the team... I mean we got guys that that need to play...

He looked great tonight, and I imagine his run average was about 5 yards a carry. He looked like a bull on a couple of runs, and was patient in others. Our RB is back! (Oh and one TD!)

Alright guy's.Let's get creative and forecast the media's excuse for
how Goff was able to pull of an absolute miracle of having a remotely
decent game.
As @Mackeyser said,It must be Black Magic.lol
My personal opinion is that this is the absolute best game
Goff will play in his entire career.Translation = Fluke

Fisher was the last cocky bastid to coach the Rams that said he will love playing us when he's coaching his next team....lol. So who will get their next HC for a desperate team?
1. Scott Linehan
2. Steve Spanuolo
3. Jeff Fisher


I think Spags will, myself...

Thank God, I still have stuff to do!

I have never attended an NFL game. I have a chance to see the Rams at the Giants. The price is $130.00 per ticket. Does that sound accurate?

Does anyone know what jerseys we will wear? It seems like we want to be Dallas when it comes to home and away. We're not going to see those blue and gold jerseys with our blue and white helmet and pants right?