These are excerpts. To read the whole article click the link below. PK's Asshole Face remark is at the bottom in the Things I Think section.
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The Highs and the Lows of the NFL’s Holiday Weekend
From Antonio Brown’s season-saving stretch to Derek Carr’s nightmare fracture, Week 16 ran the gamut of emotions. Here’s a look at everything that went down, plus playoff scenarios, the 2017 draft race and more
By Peter King


Photo: Fred Vuich/Getty Images

I knew when I caught the ball, I would be short, below the line. But I knew I had to get my pads down on a couple of their guys. If I could get my pads down, and possibly reach the ball over, and that’s exactly what I did.

* * *

I got a glimpse of the player Antonio Brown strives to be in training camp in August, in Latrobe, Pa. Practice was over one afternoon around 5, and most of the players walked up the hill to the locker room, or stopped to sign some autographs. In the far end zone, away from almost everyone, was wide receiver Antonio Brown, with a ballboy and an assistant. Brown, in the previous two years, either led the league or tied for the league lead in receptions.

WhackTHUMP!

A ball was fed into the JUGS machine, and Brown, eight yards away, caught it in gloved hands.

WhackTHUMP!

In a different position, Brown caught another ball. And again, and again, and again.

He stayed for a long time, maybe 15 minutes. At other camps, receivers might catch 10 or 15. Brown far exceeded that (“I do 130 a day,” he said later). Then he had the ballboy toss him some high passes, difficult to catch, and the assistant, by rote, on pass after pass, mugged Brown—obviously to get him used to what he’d see in the regular season. The whole extra session lasted about 25 minutes.

I thought of that on Christmas evening, watching the last minute of the Steelers-Ravens game, the game that, as usual, had something gigantic riding on it. The AFC North would be won or lost in the next play or two. Baltimore led 27-24. Pittsburgh had the ball at the Ravens’ four-yard line. No timeouts. Second-and-goal, 13 seconds left.

It was almost cruel, that some team would lose here. Baltimore, the underdog, had led 20-10 with 14 minutes to go. The Steelers had drives of 75 and 90 yards to go up 24-20, but the Ravens inexorably churned down the field 75 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 78 seconds left. Ravens 27, Steelers 24.

Baltimore had played so valiantly, but also had left the Steelers, with Ben Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell and Brown, time to grab at least a field goal to make this an overtime classic. The Ravens were so close to such an improbable win. And whoever lost would have that guts-ripped-out feeling.

The Steelers took over at the 25-yard line, and Bell said to Brown: “A.B., you gotta go down there and get the game-winner.” Seven completions, two timeouts, two clock-killing spikes, and here came that chance. Pittsburgh had no timeouts.

They could either take two shots into the end zone, or one shot in the field of play knowing they’d have to spike it quickly, or run once and then spike it. Roethlisberger threw an incut to Brown, who caught it at the Baltimore one-and-a-half, nowhere near a sideline.

Brown weighs 186 pounds. Three Ravens, weighing 208 (safety Matt Elam), 200 (safety Eric Weddle) and 232 (linebacker Zach Orr), converged on Brown.

You watched and thought, No way he’s getting in. And why the heck did Roethlisberger throw it so shy of the goal line so Brown won’t be able to get out of bounds? This game could end!!!

“I knew I couldn’t stop my feet,” Brown said from the Steelers’ locker room after the game. “l knew it was going to be close, and I knew I could get in there, somehow. I had to get my pads down and use leverage.”

Elam bounced off Brown. Weddle arm-barred Brown by the neck and tried to almost rope-tie him backward. Brown’s spindly legs, as he said, got low and pushed and pushed, and here came Orr, ready to blast Brown.

“I got a great trainer,” Brown said. “We always train and prepare for situations like that. I was able to get my shoulders down on those guys.”

Because Weddle had Brown by the neck, Brown’s arms were free. With two hands, he gripped the ball hard and reached for the goal line. He couldn’t see it, but he knew he was close. “I had no thought I’d be short,” said Brown. “No way. I had to be smart, and strong, and reach, and get the ball over the goal line. I was thinking touchdown.”

Back to the JUGS machine, and the mugging assistant. The hands, the grip, the fight. This was 640 pounds of Raven against 186 pounds of Steeler. The ball pierced the plane of the goal line clearly, and Brown pulled it back in. He never lost control of the ball, and it was never in danger of getting punched away.

“I was just going to find a way …

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!” Brown got interrupted at his locker just then, and there was a cacophony of voices, and he was gone for a minute, and then …

People kept congratulating Brown. Rightfully so. And he was overwhelmed.

“Extremely emotional after a game like this,” he said. “I’m pretty much holding it in right now. But I’m emotional. What a way to win a game. I’m just so happy.”

Glee in Pittsburgh. Third seed in the AFC tournament. Ravens go home for the winter. Down the hall in Heinz Field, one of the toughest locker rooms Ravens observers had seen. “You could hear a pin drop,” one guy in there said. Another: “Most crushed locker room I’ve ever seen.” It makes for great theater but soul-crushing moments.

Pittsburgh, on the right day in January, will be a tough out for the best teams in the league. Baltimore could have been too. That’s Week 16 football. Exciting to watch. Great to win. Horrible to lose.

* * *


Photo: Joe Amon/Getty Images

Wrapping up the rest of the weekend:

Playoff drama is over, except for a couple of things. The second and fifth AFC seeds (Oakland is two, as of today, and Kansas City is fifth) could flip. The NFC North will come down to game number 256—the Sunday night season finale on New Year’s Night, Green Bay at Detroit. More in a moment.

Derek Carr and the Raiders are heartbroken. Carr got knocked out of the Raiders-Colts game Saturday with a broken right fibula, and he’ll have surgery as early as today at a hospital in Los Angeles. It’s highly probable this legitimate MVP candidate on the stunning 12-3 Raiders is lost for the season, and that the Raiders will now go as far as backup Matt McGloin can take them. More in a bit from Carr in an emotional text message late Sunday night.

Merry Christmas, Cleveland. The Browns not only avoided the chance to go 0-16 with the 20-17 win over San Diego. They also moved closer to securing the top overall draft pick in 2017 by virtue of the 49ers breaking a 13-game losing streak with a win at Los Angeles. I plan to have a piece on the Browns on Wednesday at The MMQB; I just didn’t want to bury a good story with all the other impactful things happening this weekend.

The Super Bowl’s really going to be different this year. For the first time since 2003, neither Super Bowl team from the previous year will be in the playoffs the following year. Carolina and Denver were 27-5 in the regular season in 2015; this year they’re a combined 14-16. Denver’s lost three in a row by a combined 62-23, and Cam Newton’s the most inaccurate passer in football.

* * *

Here’s What We Know This Morning


Photo: Matt Lutdke/AP

The truths about the 12-team playoff field:

• The AFC has nothing to play for but seeding in Week 17. New England and the AFC West winner (Oakland or Kansas City) will get the first-round byes, with the Patriots clinching the top seed with a win or an Oakland loss next Sunday. Pittsburgh will be the third seed and Houston four. The second-place AFC West team is in line to be seeded fifth, while Miami makes its first playoff appearance in eight years. The Dolphins’ reward, likely, is a wild-card game in Pittsburgh. Miami could move into the fifth seed with a home win over the Patriots and a Chiefs loss.

• In the NFC, Dallas has locked up the top seed. A home win for Atlanta against the Saints will make the Falcons the second seed. Protection-challenged Seattle (20 sacks of Russell Wilson in the past five weeks) and the Packers-Lions winner round out the top four seeds. The Giants didn’t score 20 points in any December game and will be on the road on wild-card weekend. The sixth seed is a hodgepodge.

• Your AFC playoff quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Alex Smith, Ben Roethlisberger … and Tom Savage (Houston), Matt McGloin or Connor Cook (Oakland), and Matt Moore or Ryan Tannehill (Miami). If Oakland’s the fifth seed, you could have an NFL playoff game with McGloin and Savage starting at quarterback. Yikes.

• Seeds below two you don’t want to face in January: In the NFC, Green Bay (winners of five straight by an average of 13.2 points); in the AFC, Pittsburgh (only team in the playoffs with a top-five quarterback, running back and wideout).

• Likeliest wild-card matchups: Oakland at Houston and Miami at Pittsburgh in the AFC; Washington at Seattle and the Giants at Green Bay in the NFC.

* * *

Carr Fine For Future, But That’s No Consolation Now


Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

I got this text from Derek Carr, the Raiders’ 25-year-old MVP candidate, Sunday night:

Although this situation is the toughest thing I've ever faced in my football career, it will not stop me from coming back stronger than ever. I left everything I had out there on that field for my God, family, brothers on that team, and Raider nation. I felt so much love in that stadium as I was hopping off the field, and that same love is what my team will feel from me going forward. We still have work to do as a team, and goals to obtain. Although I may not be throwing the ball right now, I will do whatever I have to do to help US win.

Merry Christmas.
Derek

Carr got twisted awkwardly by Trent Cole of the Colts with 11 minutes left in Oakland’s 12th win of the season. He knew his leg was broken right away. He will have surgery early this week to repair the broken fibula, and recovery time for such injuries is usually six to eight weeks—but it’s useless to speculate on that until the surgery happens and the full scope of the damage is diagnosed.

Six weeks from today is the day after Super Bowl LI. But it’s unlikely the Raiders could win two or three hold-the-fort playoff games and land in the Super Bowl without Carr, and very little chance he’d be able to play by then anyway.

Carr spent Sunday resting with his family on Christmas east of Oakland. His agent, Tim Younger, spent time with Carr on Sunday.

“I feel so much for that kid,” Younger said. “His first year, they started 0-10 and ended the year 3-13, and he really wanted to see this team totally turn it around to 13-3. He feels like he let everybody down.”

Of course he didn’t. But here’s what important now—getting Matt McGloin (probably) or Connor Cook ready to play and win in January. It’s a tough reality of football that in a split second the season can be ruined. That’s what coach Jack Del Rio has to fight against, starting today, as the Raiders prepare to play at Denver with the second seed in the conference on the line.

It’s easy to say next man up. It’s harder think of the most important man on your team going down in the fourth quarter of Week 16 when you haven’t even been to the playoffs in forever.

* * *

Browns Can Get Their QB—If There Is One

Emily Kaplan of The MMQB had a good profile of North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky the other day. If Trubisky decides to eschew his final year of eligibility—lots of scouts think he will—he’d likely be a top-10 pick. Sometimes the market just fits the player, and there’s no telling what the market will be the following year.

But this year there’s some desperation to get a quarterback at the top of the draft. With a week to go before the draft order is finalized, the top three current teams all will be in the market for a quarterback, as will the Jets, who will pick somewhere around six.

Now, Trubisky played high school football at Mentor (Ohio) High, 24 miles east of the Browns’ field along the shore of Lake Erie. He’d clearly be a popular pick. And when he plays his bowl game on Friday—the Sun Bowl, against Stanford—you can be sure every team with half an eye on the 2017 quarterback market will be either in El Paso for the game or watching it.

But it’s early in the scouting process. The draft is 17-and-a-half weeks away. If anyone tells you they know whom Team X wants to pick, they’re crazy. They might have a feel; they might “love” a player. But without the full time to research players, there’s no way a team knows its draft order at the end of December—never mind without knowing if a player is even coming out.


The top 10 entering Week 17:

Team
1. Cleveland
2. San Francisco
3. Chicago
4. Jacksonville
5. *Tennessee
6. N.Y. Jets
7. San Diego
8. Cincinnati
9. Carolina
10.^Cleveland
* Tennessee acquired this pick from Los Angeles via the Rams’ trade-up for Jared Goff.
^ Cleveland acquired this pick from the Eagles when Philadelphia traded up for Carson Wentz.

* * *

Not as Tough as MVP, But Try Picking Top Coach


Photo: Mike Stone/Getty Images

I wrote about the MVP vote the other day, with Derek Carr, Matt Ryan, Dak Prescott, Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott as my top five after 14 games. Now, with Carr’s injury? I’ll stay the same now, but as I always say, these things change, and you should keep an open mind, and the gap between Carr and Ryan and the Dallas candidates is paper thin, and Brady is a very good candidate too … so we’ll see how it plays out, because it should be a 16-game award.

I see the coach of the year a bit more clearly … but still open. My top three:

1. Bill Belichick, New England. Why this year? New England went 12-4 in the regular season each year between 2012 and 2015. This season was significantly more challenging for the Patriots, and they’re 13-2 with a game to play. With the distraction of the Tom Brady melodrama, then going 3-1 with the second and third quarterbacks playing, then going 10-1 with Brady back, while dumping your two best defensive players (Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins) …

I understand putting other coaches/coaches-plus-architects above Belichick, but I think this is one of the best seasons of a top three all-time coach.

2. Jack Del Rio, Oakland. What Del Rio had to do, inheriting a team after 4-12, 4-12 and 3-13 seasons, is fix the mindset and belief that this team couldn’t win. Some of that is nebulous, because you can’t tell how much is the coach and how much is the will of people like Derek Carr.

What I know is that these players trust and believe in Del Rio, and they think he’s the man for a rebuilding job, because he trusts his players and lets them err as long as they’re erring with full effort. The Raiders will likely be either the second or fifth seed in the AFC tournament, and Del Rio’s a huge reason why.

3. Jason Garrett, Dallas. Hard to minimize the flat-line emotion that Garrett has provided in the midst of such a huge transition. He’s always had to walk the line between an owner who is very involved and a coaching staff trying to be independent and doing the best thing to win every week.

But Garrett had to sign off on Ezekiel Elliott (which he did, gladly) and on Dak Prescott (ditto) in the draft. Then he coached them, and adjusted to life with Tony Romo, and made it all work. He’s an underrated coach for his approach and for, in a Steve Kerr kind of way, getting everyone on the same page when you’ve got a bunch of big egos to soothe.

The rest: 4. Adam Gase, Miami; 5. Dan Quinn, Atlanta; 6. Mike Mularkey, Tennessee; 7. Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay; 8. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay; 9. Jim Caldwell, Detroit; 10. Andy Reid, Kansas City.

* * *

Quite a Few 2017 Schedule Highlights


As the standings begin to get set in stone, so do a few interesting scheduling nuggets for 2017:


• A rematch of a great Super Bowl. In Super Bowl 45 at the new Cowboys’ stadium in Arlington, Aaron Rodgers outlasted Ben Roethlisberger 31-25 in a great game highlighted by some big-time throws. Rodgers was hurt when the two sides played in 2013; Pittsburgh won that one at Lambeau 38-31. In 2017, they’ll meet at Heinz Field.

One other note: One of the great games in recent NFL history happened in the only other Rodgers-Roethlisberger meeting at Heinz Field. In 2009, Roethlisberger threw for 503 yards in the Steelers’ 37-36 cliffhanger victory. What a bum Rodgers was that day. He threw for only 383, and three touchdowns.

• One versus two, 2016 edition. Carson Wentz and the Eagles play at Jared Goff and the Rams.

• An Oregon reunion. Marcus Mariota and the Titans will play at Chip Kelly and the Niners—assuming someone doesn’t do something stupid and whack Kelly as San Francisco coach.

• Tom Brady’s going to have some fun QB-vs.-QB games. Among their 10 games out of the division, the Patriots and 40-year-old quarterback Brady (he turns 40 next August) will host Cam Newton, Matt Ryan and Philip Rivers in Foxboro next season.

The Patriots will play at Oakland and Tampa Bay (first games ever for Brady against Derek Carr and Jameis Winston) and at Pittsburgh and New Orleans (Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees, obviously). Most of those matchups have national TV written all over them.

* * *

Early in my career covering the NFL, I asked Giants coach Bill Parcells why he and GM George Young churned the bottom of the roster so much. Parcells said the guys on the bottom of the roster would either win a game for you at some point of the season or lose a game for you.

Those guys lost one for San Diego on Saturday. And one of the churnees—who has played better than that since the Browns claimed him off waivers from Baltimore—won it for Cleveland.

The involved parties:

• Long-snapper Mike Windt, San Diego. Second NFL team. Undrafted in 2010; waived once.

• Guard Kenny Wiggins, San Diego. Third NFL team. Undrafted in 2011; waived six times.

• Kicker Josh Lambo, San Diego. First NFL team. Undrafted in 2015. Signed by San Diego as free-agent.

• Defensive lineman Jamie Meder, Cleveland. Second NFL team. Undrafted in 2014; waived twice.

Meder broke through the gap between Windt and Wiggins to block Lambo’s kick and preserve Cleveland’s 20-17 lead late in the fourth quarter.

The best roster architects are the ones who never rest about the guys at the bottom of the roster.

* * *

• Jerry Jones, on Michael Irvin’s early take on Dak Prescott: “When we lost [Tony] Romo, there was huge pressure to immediately make a trade to go get a veteran quarterback. Huge pressure. And we ended up with Mark Sanchez, but that was after the season started. What we wanted to do, though, and this was a very conscious effort, we had seen just enough of [Prescott] on campus, that we wanted to see him take the reins in preseason.

So he stepped in as the starting quarterback with our first group, stepped in against the Rams in the L.A. Coliseum, completely sold out, 85,000, 90,000 people. I’ll never forget this. I am sitting with Michael Irvin watching Dak, and he throws a back shoulder to Dez [Bryant], and makes a touchdown his first drive. He takes it right down the field against the Rams. I punch Michael and I say, ‘Did you just see that kid? Look at the way he took that team down and made it.’ He said, ‘Well, I might have missed that.’

And I said, ‘What are you looking at?’ And he said, ‘I’m looking at every one of the players. If they are not out on the field, they are on the white [sideline] and every one of them is hanging on every move he is making. He’s inspired the whole team.’ He said, ‘You know, Jerry, it takes more than one guy to inspire the whole team. This guy is inspirational.’”

• Jones, on Tony Romo’s only public statement since coming back, ceding the job to Prescott: “He didn’t talk to me about it or anybody about it, and he goes out and makes that statement. He doesn’t talk to anybody, calls his own meeting, doesn’t talk to our PR guy about content in any way. He steps up and says what he said from the heart.”

* * *

Things I Think I Think

1. I think these are my quick notes of analysis from Week 16:

a. Darren Sproles is a marvel, a career underrated field-tilter.

b. The Steelers’ Christmas Day uniforms—all black but for marigold numbers and names and pant stripes—are the best uniforms in the NFL this year.

c. If you’re a Vikings fan, and you’re bitterly disappointed about being 2-8 since your 5-0 start, and 34-6 and 38-25 losses the last two weeks, you should be. And you should be ticked off about defensive players who think they know more about the scheme than Mike Zimmer.

d. That’s 23 touchdowns in four Tennessee seasons for tight end Delanie Walker. In what has been mostly a bad offense since he arrived in 2013, that’s pretty darned good. For reference, Martellus Bennett has 20 in that same time span.

e. David Johnson, Le’Veon Bell, Ezekiel Elliott … it’s a golden year for the versatile running back.

f. Le’Veon Bell picks the hole and practices patience better than any other back in years.

g. Great call by Chip Kelly, down one and going for two with 31 seconds left in a game that meant absolutely nothing except for this: showing your players that despite 13 straight losses the coach still has faith they can make a play to win.

h. After watching 2014 Baltimore undrafted free agent Zach Orr make plays week after week all season and become indispensable, hats off to the Ravens’ scouting staff. They know how to find inside ’backers for free (see Bart Scott, Jameel McClain).

i. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell twice kicking the ball out of bounds, handing the Ravens the ball at the 40 two times in a division championship game is … well, about the worst thing a kicker can do.

j. I’ve said it before and will say it again: Tyreek Hill could be the difference in the AFC playoffs, and his 70-yard touchdown sprint in the K.C. win over Denver is just one more example.

2. I think if I’m the Rams, I’m looking into Asshole Face thoroughly. This is the year, I believe, that Payton can be had from the Saints. He needs a new challenge. A coach as good as he is, with a quarterback as good as Drew Brees, should not be 38-40 in the past five regular seasons.

And the Rams need a coach who will make it uncomfortable to lose. Payton has some Bill Parcells in him—a lot, in fact—and does not suffer player-fools. And the Rams need someone who knows how to coach a young quarterback. Not saying they should sell out for Payton—just saying the Rams should look into him and see if he’s a good fit.

3. I think, sometimes, things just run their course. Payton’s run his course in New Orleans. Nothing wrong with that; Parcells ran his course in New York, and New England, and then with the Jets. Eleven years in football coaching is an eternity. The Saints might benefit with a new voice.

Maybe Dennis Allen, who’s done a good job with a defense that has a lot of holes. Payton has time left on his contract, and so it would require draft-choice compensation … but not a first-rounder. (Which is good, since Los Angeles doesn’t have one, with Tennessee getting it after the trade-up-for-Goff deal.) It’s a deal I’d be interested in from both sides.

4. I think I wasn’t sure about this until quite recently, and I’m not positive it’ll happen. But the Chargers’ coaching job is in play. Mike McCoy is endangered entering the final week of the season.

5. I think if the Chargers move to Los Angeles for the 2017 season—which is increasingly very likely—my money is on them playing at the StubHub Center (formerly Home Depot Center) in the southern L.A. suburb of Carson. Capacity: 27,000. Now that’d be interesting for two years.

The Chargers are serious about making that home for two years, in part because they know they’re not going to fill the cavernous Coliseum, in part because they’d like to develop a fandom that would love to see NFL games up close and personal.

6. I think the Chargers are still open to local entreaties to stay in San Diego, but three interesting things about the odds they’d face in getting a new stadium either downtown or by refurbishing Qualcomm Stadium:

• Architects have not studied this with finality, but it could cost as much as $300 million to retrofit Qualcomm to today’s standards to withstand earthquakes.

• The Chargers spent $10 million on ads and promotions before the November vote in San Diego on a new hotel/motel tax that would not cost local citizenry any tax money unless they stayed in local hotels. The opposition to the Chargers’ vote spent $200,000. The Chargers needed 67 percent of the vote for the measure to pass. They got 43 percent. In other words, the organization has zero confidence that it could win any public referendum for a new stadium.

• Let’s say Dean Spanos moves to Los Angeles, and let’s say (as I believe will happen) he struggles mightily to get a fan base there. The Steve Ballmer purchase of the Clippers for $2 billion tells me if an NFL franchise in Los Angeles ever was for sale, the Spanos family would make a killing.

I’m not saying Dean Spanos would move to Los Angeles with the intent in his mind it’s going to fail and he’ll sell for $3.5 billion in 2021 … but that’s got to be a nice little safety-net thought in his head when he goes to bed at night.

7. I think it’s always smart to remember at this time of year (a week from today is BLACK MONDAY WITH ALL THE NEWS ABOUT COACH FIRINGS COMING RIGHT UP!!!) that coaches have lives, and with the firing of each coach comes the firing of 18 to 22 other coaches and their families as well. It’s the lives they bought into, and they lives they love—except for times like this.

I asked former defensive end Austen Lane, who wrote for The MMQB in 2013 on the experience of being fired by the Jaguars, to tell me his thoughts on Gus Bradley. I find Bradley to be one of the most sincere and earnest and nicest people I’ve met in this business—among coaches, players, team officials, whoever. This comes from Lane:

“The moment I knew Coach Bradley was a man of integrity and high character was the day I found out I was getting released by the Jaguars. Every head coach handles the process of cutting a player differently. Some coaches will give you a generic, We’re going in a different direction, with a handshake and an exit-stage-left, while some coaches won’t even meet with a player or provide an explanation. Coach Bradley walked with me into the general manager’s office and sat in a chair right next to me as it was announced I would be let go.

It was almost like he wanted to be there to help absorb the gut shot I received. After meeting with the GM, Dave Caldwell, Coach Bradley invited me to his office to meet with him one-on-one. There wasn’t any generic phrase or rushed handshake to get me out. You could tell he genuinely cared about my well-being and made every effort in reminding me that if I ever needed anything, to give him a call. All this coming from a guy I only knew for three weeks.”

8. I think the 49ers are going to throw someone overboard after the season, and GM Trent Baalke is the most logical choice. Baalke is a good football man, but I’ve heard his job is in grave danger. Going 7-24 post-Jim Harbaugh is not a ringing endorsement for his future. Even if the Niners do make a change, they’d better figure out a way to fix the quarterback. And soon.

9. I think it’s amazing, and a sign of how fast things change in the NFL, that of the four teams in California, three will likely change a coach or GM this offseason—and the only stable team will be Oakland.

http://isportsweb.com/2016/12/24/analyzing-the-los-angeles-rams-key-2017-free-agents/

Analyzing the Los Angeles Rams key 2017 free agents

The 4-11 Los Angeles Rams will have some interesting decisions to make this offseason. With nearly $41 million in cap space the Rams will have to make some key decisions with their 2017 free agents. This is because in 2018 they will have Aaron Donald, Alec Ogletree, and Greg Robinson all being potential free agents.

This upcoming Rams free agent class has some key players in Trumaine Johnson, TJ McDonald, Kenny Britt, Greg Zuerlein, and Benny Cunningham. All five of those players should be re-signed, especially Johnson and McDonald due to the lack of good depth in the secondary.

Trumaine Johnson
Johnson was selected in the third round of the 2012 draft, the same draft the Rams got Janoris Jenkins in. This past offseason, the Rams chose to go with Johnson over Jenkins as they placed the franchise tag on him.

An issue the Rams have had for years is good depth in their secondary, as they have been forced to start inexperienced corners such as Troy Hill and Michael Jordan when guys such as Johnson and EJ Gaines have been injured.

A big issue for Johnson has been his ability to stay on the field and he has played in 36 of 47 possible games in his last three seasons, including this season. However, Johnson has shown he can play well when healthy as he was able to shut down the now retired Calvin Johnson last season.

In 2016 Johnson has slowed down when it comes to creating turnovers as he has a lone interception coming off of a season in which he had seven. Johnson is a good physical cornerback, maybe a bit too aggressive at times but he does do well in the run game.

Overall, the Rams cannot afford to lose a guy like Johnson, especially with the way the team is set up. The big issue is how much money will he want after getting the franchise tag worth nearly $14 million.

TJ McDonald
The former USC Trojan and third round pick in the 2013 draft is wrapping up his fourth year in the NFL. The hard-hitting safety has played in every game for the Rams this season and has one interception along with five pass deflections and 46 tackles.

McDonald has never been a guy who makes the flashy interceptions or just the big plays in general. Just like Johnson he is a physical player and likes to lay the lumber along with many on the Rams defense.

McDonald was part of a great safety duo last year with Rodney McLeod and has been able to do a solid job with Maurice Alexander by his side. In a similar boat as Johnson, McDonald is almost a must re-sign with the lack of quality depth in the Rams secondary.

Kenny Britt
Bringing in Kenny Britt was probably one of the best things Jeff Fisher did for the Rams. Fisher brought in the troubled Tennessee Titans wide receiver and in his third year with the Rams is the team’s first 1,000 yard wide receiver since Torry Holt in 2007.

This season Britt has set career highs in targets, receptions, and yards. In six games Britt has had 75 of more receiving yards and has been targeted ten or more times in four games.

For years the Rams have been searching for a true number one wide receiver and they might have found that in the 28 year old Britt. All of these numbers are being put up with below average quarterbacks as well, just imagine if Jared Goff comes out in 2017 doing what the Rams expected of him when he was drafted.

A big, tall receiver who has shown he can produce is a must re-sign for the Rams. If they can find a solid number two to go along with Britt and Tavon Austin, the team will have a nice receiving core for the future to help Goff.

Greg Zuerlein
Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein had a rough season in 2015 as he made just 20/30 field goals. This season, Zuerlein has been much more accurate as he is 17/20 this season, and his three misses have comes from forty or more yards, two from beyond fifty yards.

With a struggling Rams offense it has been hard for Zuerlein to get as many opportunities to make field goals, but his strong leg is still a force to be reckoned with. Accuracy is still a work in progress as his career field goal percentage is 79.1%, but he has been a solid kicker aside from 2015 and one could make the argument for 2012.

Benny Cunningham
Cunningham has been dependable as a kick returner and as the backup to Todd Gurley this season. Despite only having 21 carries, Cunningham was able to rush for 101 yards, which is 4.8 per carry. That along with 16 receptions for 91 yards is solid for the Middle Tennessee State alum.

The kick return game is where Cunningham shines ever brighter. This season Cunningham returned 22 kicks for an average of 27.2 per return, which is fifth best in the NFL. While he is not the flashiest player, he gets the job done and gets it done right. Cunningham should be re-signed to help relieve Todd Gurley during games and do his good work on special teams in the return game.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/s...idate-aaron-rodgers-packers-looking-dominant/

Really bad day for young QBs

The most fun team to watch in the NFL this year has, unquestionably, been the Oakland Raiders. Whether it was Jack Del Rio's willingness to lay it all on the table or Derek Carr's ability to come from behind and play lights-out in the fourth quarter or even Marquette King's punter swag, this was just a fascinating squad that strutted its way to 12 wins and the first Raiders playoff berth since 2002.

And then Saturday against the Colts everything went up in smoke when Carr suffered a broken fibula while being sacked.

It was obvious as soon as Carr hit the ground and grabbed at his leg. He knew the score and so did everyone else.

Carr is now out indefinitely, but for all intents and purpose he's done for the year. It's not reasonable to expect him to return for the playoffs, even if the Raiders, who closed out a 33-25 victory over the Colts behind Matt McGloin, were to barnstorm to the AFC title game (likely to be played in New England, barring the Pats losing to the Dolphins in Week 17).

The Raiders were already a team with some question marks because of their defensive liabilities. Now without Carr to rev up the offense, they'll lean on McGloin. It's not a good scene for an Oakland team that has been one of the best stories of the year.

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It may have been even more brutal for the Tennessee Titans, who not only lost Marcus Mariota for the season with a broken leg, but also saw their playoff chances go up in smoke.

The Titans lost to the Jaguars 38-17 in a game that included a Blake Bortlesreceiving touchdown, which should tell you everything you need to know about the level of intensity Doug "The Douggernaut" Marrone brought to his first game as Jags interim head coach.

The Titans were eliminated from the playoff race when the Texans edged the Bengals on Saturday night. But the reality of Tennessee's situation is things went from very promising to very dark in one bad afternoon.

The real tragedy is that Carr and Mariota are excellent young quarterbacks. It's horrible to see their development derailed by brutal injuries, not to mention the selfish shame of not getting to see them operate late in the season and potentially in the playoffs.

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http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...-set-with-steelers-chiefs-winning-in-week-16/

If the Ravens were going to win the AFC North, beating the Steelers on Sunday was a must. After Kyle Juszczyk ran in a touchdown with just 85 seconds left to take the lead, it sure looked like they had done exactly what they needed to do.

And then the Steelers proved exactly why so many people consider them the most dangerous team in the AFC. With 1:18 to move the length of the field, Ben Roethlisberger did what he does best, marching the Steelers down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard, game-winning touchdown drive that sent the Steelers to the playoffs and clinched the AFC North.

With the win, the Steelers joined the Falcons and Texans as teams clinching their divisions in Week 16.

The AFC is a madhouse, but it's probably Pittsburgh or New England coming out. The good news is that we know all six teams on the AFC side after the Chiefs beat up the Broncos on Sunday night by a score of 33-10. Denver's loss not only eliminated the Broncos from the postseason hunt but, along with Baltimore's loss to Pittsburgh, sealed Miami's ticket to the playoffs, the Dolphins' first postseason trip since 2008. While the AFC West champion still needs to be decided, we know that one of the Chiefs, Raiders, Dolphins, Texans, Steelers or Pats will represent the AFC in Super Bowl 51.

The NFC is much more wide open, especially with respect to teams who will actually be in the playoffs. We have several teams that clinched -- the Cowboys, Seahawks, Falcons and Giants. But there is plenty of drama over the next several days (and hours) that will determine how things unfold.

The team to watch is Atlanta. After a dominant performance against the Panthers, who looked good the previous week, Atlanta eliminated a rival and put itself in position to steal a first-round bye. Atlanta, at 10-5, has a leg up on Seattle for the race to the No. 2 seed with the Seahawks losing to the Cardinals on Saturday.

Saturday was a busy day for the Falcons' playoff aspirations. First, they clinched a playoff spot based on the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker when the Raiders beat the Colts. Then, a Bucs loss to the Saints wrapped up the NFC South for Atlanta. And now, they're in the driver's seat for a first-round bye.

No one is talking about the Falcons, but everyone should be looking out for them.

Check out the Playoff Picture page, complete with tiebreaker explanation and rules. Here's how things look after Saturday's slate:

AFC: Who's in

1. (z) New England Patriots (13-2)
The Patriots are very close to securing home-field advantage throughout after taking the Jets to the woodshed. The Pats-Dolphins matchup in Week 17 suddenly has pretty large AFC implications with Oakland winning Saturday.

2. (x) Oakland Raiders (12-3)
The Raiders beat the Colts on Saturday but lost quarterback Derek Carr to a broken leg. The Raiders will try and lock up the AFC West and a first-round bye in Denver in Week 17.

3. (y') Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
The Steelers' thrilling win puts them back in the playoffs for a third straight year. However, they have no shot at grabbing a first-round bye in Week 17.

4. (y') Houston Texans (9-6)
Thanks to Tennessee losing and Houston winning over Cincy 12-10, the Texans clinched the AFC South title. While the Titans could tie the Texans in the standings by beating them in Week 17, Houston would own the tiebreaker.

5. (x) Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
The Chiefs clinched a playoff berth before their Christmas night game against Denver by virtue of the Ravens losing, and they stayed alive in the AFC West race by taking care of the Broncos.

6. (x) Miami Dolphins (10-5)
Miami won in overtime over the Bills on Saturday, and then clinched a playoff spot once Baltimore and Denver lost on Sunday What a story for a team that was dead in the water to start the season.

Eliminated

Denver Broncos (8-7): The Broncos fall out of the playoff race with their loss to the Chiefs.

Baltimore Ravens (8-7): With the loss to the Steelers, the Ravens are also eliminated from the wild-card race.

Tennessee Titans (8-7): Tennessee gets eliminated with the Texans winning and locking up the AFC South.

Indianapolis Colts (7-8): With the Colts' loss to the Raiders, they are eliminated.

Buffalo Bills (7-8): The Bills losing to Miami in overtime snuffed out their long-shot chance of making the playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals (5-9-1): The Bengals lost an ugly game to the Texans on Saturday night.

San Diego Chargers (5-10): Congrats on giving the Browns their first win, San Diego.

New York Jets (4-11): Humiliating effort against the Patriots on Saturday.

Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12): Blake Bortles caught a touchdown!

Cleveland Browns (1-14): That "1" looks pretty sweet.


NFC: Who's in

1. (*) Dallas Cowboys (12-2)
Dallas plays Detroit on Monday night but already has home-field advantage clinched courtesy of Philly beating the Giants on Thursday.

2. (y') Atlanta Falcons (10-5)
Atlanta manhandled the Panthers in Charlotte, and with the Saints beating the Bucs on Saturday, the Falcons clinch the NFC South.

3. Detroit Lions (9-5)
Detroit plays Dallas on Monday night but regardless of that outcome, the Jan. 1 matchup against the Packers will be for the NFC North title. The Lions can clinch a playoff spot by winning in Dallas.

4. (y') Seattle Seahawks (9-5-1)
Seattle already clinched the NFC West, but the Seahawks are now behind the 8-ball in their quest for a first-round bye with their loss to the Cardinals. They'll need to win next week and get help.

5. (x) New York Giants (10-5)
The Giants lost a horrible game to Philly on Thursday but got some big help Saturday and clinched a playoff berth thanks to the Bucs losing.

6. Green Bay Packers (9-6)
The Packers hammered the Vikings and would clinch a playoff berth and the NFC North with a win over Detroit on Jan. 1.

In the hunt
Washington Redskins (8-6-1): Washington trashed the Bears on Sunday, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7): The Bucs' playoff chances took a serious blow with that loss to the Saints on Saturday.

Eliminated

New Orleans Saints (7-8): Eliminated before their game against Tampa kicked off.

Minnesota Vikings (7-8): Minnesota's loss means it cannot make the playoffs.

Arizona Cardinals (6-8-1): The Cardinals played spoiler against division-rival Seattle on Saturday.

Carolina Panthers (6-9): Eliminated after losing to the Falcons on Saturday.

Philadelphia Eagles (6-9): But they beat the Giants so they have that going for them!

Los Angeles Rams (4-11): They're now 0-2 against the 49ers, who are 0-13 against everyone else.

Chicago Bears (3-12): Matt Barkley's stock took a hit with five interceptions Saturday.

San Francisco 49ers (2-13): Briefly had the inside track for the draft's top pick before winning.

Legend: (x) - clinched playoff berth; (y') - denotes division winner; (z) - denotes first-round bye; ( * ) - clinched home-field advantage

Sorry I'm a bit confused about what we traded away, although I know it was a boat load.

Exactly how many draft picks do we have this year?

And in what rounds are they?

And what positions do you feel we should use them on?

... and doesn't he look a little like him?

Big game tonight. KC looks like the much better team. Denver was a one year wonder IMO. Can't win with no offense for long.

Since going 4-0, Denver has gone 4-6 in the last ten games.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38432862

Ex-Wham! singer George Michael dies

Singer George Michael has died at the age of 53, his publicist has said.

The star, who launched his career with Wham! in the 1980s and continued his success as a solo performer, is said to have "passed away peacefully at home".

Thames Valley Police said South Central Ambulance Service attended a property in Goring in Oxfordshire at 13:42 GMT on Christmas Day.

Police say they were treating the death as unexplained but there were no suspicious circumstances.

In a statement, Michael's publicist said: "It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.

"The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage."

On Instagram, Sir Elton John posted a photograph of himself with Michael, writing: "I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans."

Thames Valley Police said: "At this stage the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

"A post-mortem will be undertaken in due course. There will be no further updates from Thames Valley Police until the post-mortem has taken place."

Michael, who was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in north London, sold more than 100 million albums throughout a career spanning almost four decades.

He first found fame with his schoolfriend Andrew Ridgeley in duo Wham! before going on to release solo albums, including the multi-million selling Faith and follow-up Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1.

It outsold Faith in the UK but led to Michael losing a court case with record label Sony over his frustration over how the album has been marketed.

His talents as a singer, songwriter and music producer made George Michael one of the world's biggest-selling artists.

Blessed with good looks and a fine singing voice, his stage presence made him a favourite on the live concert circuit as he matured from teen idol to long term stardom.

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But there were times when his battle with drugs and encounters with the police made lurid headlines that threatened to eclipse his musical talents.

Michael scored seven number one singles in the UK with songs including Careless Whisper and Faith, and won three Brit Awards and two Grammys.

But as his career faded, Michael faced headlines for the wrong reasons.

In October 2006 he pleaded guilty to driving while unfit through drugs and was banned from driving and in 2008 he was cautioned for possession of class A drugs, including crack cocaine.

In September 2010 Michael received an eight-week prison sentence following an incident the previous July in which he crashed his Range Rover into a shop in north London.

Duran Duran referred to the the so-called "curse of 2016" - following the deaths of David Bowie, Prince and Rick Parfitt - posting on their official Twitter account: "2016 - loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to @GeorgeMichael's family."

A documentary film entitled Freedom was also due for release next March.

In 2011, Michael postponed a series of concerts after being taken to hospital for treatment for pneumonia.

After treatment in a Vienna hospital, he made a tearful appearance outside his London home and said it had been "touch and go" whether he lived.

Doctors were said to have performed a tracheotomy to keep his airways open and he was unconscious for some of his spell in hospital.

After years of refusing to be drawn on speculation about his sexuality, Michael disclosed he was gay in 1998 after being was arrested in a public toilet in Beverly Hills, California, for engaging in a lewd act.

• Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (with Wham!) - 1984
• Freedom (with Wham!) - 1984
• Careless Whisper - 1984
• I'm Your Man (with Wham!) - 1985
• The Edge of Heaven (with Wham!) - 1986
• A Different Corner - 1986
• I Knew You Were Waiting For Me (with Aretha Franklin) - 1987
• Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (with Elton John) - 1991
• Five Live EP (with Queen and Lisa Stansfield) - 1993
• Jesus To A Child - 1996
• Fastlove - 1996

Looking at how teams did in their first season after relocation:
************************************************************
The Raiders moved from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982(the year of the strike). They went 8-1.

The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. The went 4-12 but were 9-31 their 3 previous seasons before relocation.

The Cardinals moved from St. Louis to Phoenix in 1988. They went 7-9 and continued to be mediocre until 2009, but were also a bad team for most of their time in St. Louis(except 74 through 76).

The Rams moved from LA to St. Louis in 1995 and went 7-9. They were bad the previous 5 seasons while in LA and continued to be so in St. Louis until the 99 season.

The Raiders moved back to Oakland in 1995. They went 8-8. They were 9-7 their last season in LA.

The Oilers moved from Houston to Tennessee in 1997 and eventually became the Titans. They went 8-8. They had the same record their last season in Houston.

The Rams after this years' move seem to have actually gotten worse.
**********************************************************************
Jeff Fisher mentioned relocation to be a factor in why the team struggled so much this season. I don't buy it. In all fairness, he did say "no excuses" but mentioned it anyway.

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Now this guy is a true disciplinarian, my only concern would be his age (70)

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/r...s-and-hes-no-blake-bortles-fan-180334093.html

We’ve breathlessly tracked the interest in unemployed septuagenarian former head coach Tom Coughlin in recent days — definitely by the Jacksonville Jaguars, perhaps by the Buffalo Bills and, when it’s all said and done there might even be an open spot on president-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet if Coughlin wants it. Here’s another interesting report on Saturday morning from Fox’s Jay Glazer: the Jaguars are not just paying lip service to their once maiden coach. Glazer said on his pregame report that the team will indeed interview Coughlin for Gus Bradley’s former position.
The more interesting nugget, however: Coughlin reportedly isn’t a big fan of quarterback Blake Bortles, per Glazer.

This can’t be stunning, but it is interesting in that the Jaguars might not be ready to dump Bortles yet. They have a huge decision looming on the former No. 3 overall draft pick this offseason when they must decide whether to pick up his fifth-year option. That would lock him into a contract for 2018 commensurate with the transition tag, which guarantees a salary equal to the average of the top 10 salaries at the position. Currently, that number sits in the $21 million to $22 million range but could change depending on any extensions signed between now and then around the league.

If Coughlin suggests that the team does not pick up the option, would that push him behind in the running for the position over a candidate who thinks they can revive his once-promising career? That’s unclear.

Beyond that, which quarterback might Coughlin want? The options for 2017 might be limited, via the draft, free agency or even a trade. The price to land one might be high, and there’s not a lot of clear-cut solutions who could step in — slow your roll on Tony Romo, we plead — as the kind of veteran leader Coughlin might seek.

After all, he’s turning 71 before the season and would not be hired to orchestrate a gradual rebuild. The Jaguars, who have gone 41-112 since their last playoff appearance, and team owner Shad Khan want to turn things around now.

I made out.

Got a new computer chair (my chair was so falling apart that , a WoW Alliance robe (Rams Blue/Gold colors...yay!) new earpads for my Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones (the velour can get grimy and I've had them for 10 years now)

But the really cool deal was the wife crochet'd me a circular blanket in my blue and gold Rams colors so that I can use it as a lap blanket at the computer... and because it's circular...I won't run over the blanket with the chair.

My mom and daughter who also crochet said the pattern was wicked hard, but she rushed like mad to get it done in time for Xmas. I'll see if I can post a pic. I took a pic with me in my robe sitting my my chair with my blanket in my lap holding a new mug and a plushy of lil Chen Stormstout that one of my kids game me. If I can find a way to pull the off Facebook, I'll post that.

I feel fully confident that my new circular blanket is full of really good mojo for our Rams!

How was everyone else's Holiday? Christmas? Second day of Hanukkah? etc? I realize it's not about the stuff.

That said... how was everyone's holiday?

Think I figured out the image from Facebook deal... here goes...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/12/25/drew-brees-closing-in-on-his-fifth-5000-yard-season/

Drew Brees closing in on his fifth 5,000-yard season
Posted by Michael David Smith on December 25, 2016

Getty Images

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is the only player in NFL history to pass for 5,000 yards in a season more than once. This year, Brees is likely to do it for the fifth time.

Brees has an NFL-high 4,858 passing yards this season, meaning he’ll almost certainly top 5,000 yards for the season in Week 17. Brees leads the league in passing by more than 200 yards over Washington’s Kirk Cousins, who has 4,630 passing yards this season, meaning Brees is a virtual lock to finish as the league leader for the seventh time in his career.

The rate at which Brees puts up yardage is unprecedented in NFL history: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Dan Marino and Matthew Stafford have each reached 5,000 yards once, and no one else has ever done it at all. If the 37-year-old Brees stays healthy for two more years, he’s likely to pass both Brett Favre and Manning and move into first place all-time in total passing yards.

It’s been a disappointing season for the Saints, who are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but Brees has added another strong season to his Hall of Fame résumé.

First Game Week 11 Miami

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Second Game Week 12 New Orleans

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I know another Goff Thread. I would like read what everyone is seeing here. Post some more if you can find them. Granted these are before the NFL had film on him. He also had some more time in early against New Orleans.

http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nfl/352001/Report--McDaniels-would-leave-Pats-for-HC-job


Ben Volin of the Boston Globe expects Patriots OC Josh McDaniels to land a head coaching job this offseason.

Per Volin, McDaniels "should have his choice of jobs" and is "likely to take one." We'd agree with this assessment, though being Bill Belichick's right-hand man in Foxboro isn't a bad gig either. McDaniels will likely be considered for the Jaguars' coaching vacancy and could be a candidate in Arizona if the Cardinals decide to move on from Bruce Arians. If McDaniels does accept a job elsewhere, it's unlikely he'd bolt to one of the Patriots' rivals like the Colts or Jets. There's also a good chance that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would follow McDaniels to wherever he ends up coaching.
Source: Boston Globe

01/01/2017 1:00 PM ET Saints at Falcons


With a Falcons WIN at home next week vs the Saints, Kyle Shanahan can interview with the Rams as early as January 2nd.

Obviously the Rams front office would have to schedule a day at the convenience of the Falcons and or any other HC prospects organizations with a bye during the week of
01/02/2016 though 01/08/2016.


Non-playoff teams
Coaches on a non-playoff team can interview at one point once the regular season ends. An assistant coach under contract must be granted permission to interview with another team if the interview is for a head coach position. A team can deny interviews for an assistant coach under contract interviewing for a non-head coach position.

Playoff teams
Coaches on teams playing wild card weekend cannot interview during the week of the wild card game. If a team loses, the "non-playoff teams" rules listed above apply. If a team wins, their coaches must be allowed to interview the week leading up to the divisional round games. The interview must take place in the city of the assistant's team, and the team can decide which day they will allow their assistant coaches to interview for head coach positions. The first interview must take place during that divisional round week.

Playoff teams with a Bye
Coaches on the top two seeds in either conference can interview with another team during the week of their bye. The interview must take place in the city of the assistant's current team, and that first interview must take place during the wild card round bye week.

Follow-up interviews
If a team wants to conduct a second interview with a candidate whose team keeps winning and earns a spot in the Super Bowl, the team must wait until the bye week of the Super Bowl. They can conduct a second interview with the candidate (team permission needed) in the week after the conference championship game.

The Rooney Rule
In place since 2003 for head coaches and expanded in 2009 to include general manager jobs and equivalent front-office positions, the rule — named after Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers chairman and onetime head of the league’s diversity committee — mandates that an NFL team must interview at least one minority candidate for these jobs.


NFL playoff schedule 2017

Saturday, Jan. 7 (Wild-card playoffs)
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD

Sunday, Jan. 8 (Wild-card playoffs)
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD

Saturday, Jan. 14 (Divisional playoffs)
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD

Sunday, Jan. 15 (Divisional playoffs)
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD
— TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: TBD | TV network: TBD

Sunday, Jan. 22 (Conference championships)
— NFC championship game: TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: 3 p.m. ET | TV network: FOX
— AFC championship game: TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: 6:40 p.m. ET | TV network: CBS

Super Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 5
— Super Bowl LI (Stadium in Houston): TBD vs. TBD | Kickoff time: 6:30 p.m. | TV network: FOX

Video at the link.
*************************
http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...obert-quinn-bring-joy-to-single-mother-of-six

Rams' Tavon Austin, Robert Quinn bring holiday joy to single mother of six
Alden Gonzalez/ESPN Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES -- Tavon Austin thought about his mother on Wednesday afternoon. He always does, but on this day it was different.

The Rams wide receiver was standing inside a four-bedroom apartment located in a neighborhood called Sun Valley, nestled in the northeast section of Los Angeles. Austin and teammate Robert Quinn had spent more than $20,000 from their own bank accounts to furnish this place for a single mother named Rebecca Carter, who had just been reunited with her six young children and was doing her best to put six years of periodic homelessness behind her.

Carter walked in, her eyes lit up, and Austin thought back to Baltimore, and Cathy Green, and all the odd jobs she worked to provide for four children, and the drive Austin felt to someday pay her back for it all.

"My mom was pretty young, and she did what she could do," Austin said. "We had six people in the house, so I know how this feels. It put the drive in me to get to where I want to today. That’s how I looked at it, that’s how I approached it and that’s how I took it. Hopefully one of them little boys in there take it the same way that I took it. 'I’m going to get Mommy out of here. I’m going to get us out of here.' That’s what I did."


The Rams' Tavon Austin and Robert Quinn watch as Rebecca Carter celebrates in her new home Wednesday. Austin and Quinn contributed $20,000 to furnish a home for Carter and her six children. Ric Tapia/Rams

It was Quinn, a sixth-year defensive end, who initially contacted the Rams' community-relations department because he wanted to go above and beyond for the holidays. So about 10 days ago, the Rams reached out to United Way of Greater Los Angeles, which then touched base with LA Family Housing, an organization that serves as something of a bridge from homelessness to permanent housing.

They told Quinn about Carter. About how she suffered through sexual assault, about the mental-health challenges it created, about homelessness forcing her to surrender custody of five kids, about how she was pregnant with a sixth child when she arrived at LA Family Housing, and about the resilience and determination she displayed while in the program.

"Once they told me the full story, and what she was going through, and how young the kids were, I just kind of took a step back and kind of put myself in their shoes," Quinn said. "If someone gave me an opportunity to restart, how appreciative would I be to them? I think it just starts with one person, one soul, one spirit. It starts there."

It started at about 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, when Carter arrived at the door of her new apartment, which falls under Section 8 housing.

Carter was simply there for a walk-through of an empty facility, but instead she was met by Molly Higgins, the Rams vice president of community affairs and engagement. Higgins told Carter that Austin and Quinn were on the other side, and she screamed. She walked in with her children -- Dynah, 12, Erick, 11, Derrick, 9, Patrick, 8, Garrick, 7, and Ariel, 18 months -- and saw every single item on a wish list she filled out days ago.


Rebecca Carter and her six children, shown with the Rams' Tavon Austin and Robert Quinn, are living under one roof for the first time. Ric Tapia/Rams

In the kitchen was everything she could ever need, from a refrigerator to a crock pot to even a stand mixer. She turned the corner and saw a brand new dining table holding a gift basket. The rooms all had beds and the bathrooms were fully decorated. In the living room was a sectional couch and a coffee table. And in the corner was a Christmas tree with presents spilling out from underneath.

The kids got clothes, school supplies, toys and gaming systems. The four boys received bicycles. The oldest girl, Dynah, was gifted a tablet to help fulfill her dream of becoming a pediatrician. Mom received a laptop, printer, clothes and makeup. She wants to go back to school for cosmetology.

"A new beginning," Carter said of what all this represented. "A new start. No more worrying. No more stress. No more depression. It’s over. I’m with my family. We’re all together, and I’m happy."

Quinn and Austin saw the box for a 40-inch flat-screen TV in the living room and were not satisfied. As the commotion ensued, they drove to a local Target and purchased a 55-inch screen to go along with it. After the tour was finished, Austin reached into his pocket and pulled out tickets to Saturday's home game against the San Francisco 49ers.

"And the concession stand is kind of expensive," Quinn said, pulling out a stack of $100 bills, "so here's some cash to help you out."

Carter slept on buses, benches and parks before spending the past 10 months with LA Family Housing. Sometimes friends would welcome her into their home, but only for a night or two. Other times, on rare occasions, she met strangers who would lend a couch. The goal each day was merely to survive, to get a little bit closer to being reunited with her children and living a normal life.

"It's a nightmare," Carter said of being homeless. "It is truly a nightmare."

Los Angeles has long been deemed the unofficial "homeless capital" of the United States. Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released a report that gave L.A. the country's largest chronically homeless population for a second consecutive year. That number was nearly 13,000, with 95 percent of them living outdoors.


Rebecca Carter's six children -- Erick, Derrick, Patrick, Garrick, Dynah and Ariel -- also had presents under the tree in their new home. Alden Gonzalez/ESPN.com

"Housing prices have skyrocketed and people’s incomes have not met the same rise in rents or in other housing costs that we’ve seen," said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, president and CEO of LA Family Housing. "Too many individuals are falling into homelessness, and what’s really devastating in Los Angeles is how long they stay homeless.

Our goal in LA Family Housing is to permanently end homelessness in people’s lives. To provide them the resources they need to move out of homelessness, into their own home, and most importantly to stay stable and successful once they move into their own home."

LA Family Housing has been around since 1983 and is now one of the largest comprehensive real-estate developers and homeless service providers in the city. Last year, they helped 6,429 individuals in the fight against homelessness and poverty. The Rams have partnered with several local charitable organizations since their return to L.A., but, as Higgins said, "We've gravitated a lot to homelessness just because it's such a serious issue."

In its 33-year existence, LA Family Housing has never seen a contribution like this, with an entire apartment fully furnished and packed with presents for a family of seven.

Wednesday marked the first night Carter slept under the same roof with all six of her kids, a moment she longed for "every single day."

The next morning, they woke up to everything they could have wanted.

"It was crazy seeing everything happen, and knowing that me and Rob made this happen," said Austin, who quickly decided to help Quinn fund the project. "It feels good. A lot of times, people don’t think that we’re out here doing stuff. But we are. I’m just glad I was a part of it."

This past season has been one to forget. But remember that it's only a game. And there is so much more to life. Spend time with family and and be around people you truly care about. Because one day it could be gone in the blink of an eye.

You guys are awesome. And I love you all. The Rams will bring us joy again one day and I hope you all will be here to witness it. Merry Christmas everyone!

I do not get some of the hate this kid receives from Rams fans. You see, I experienced Alex Smith, who threw ONE TD to ELEVEN interceptions his rookie season.

You guys think the sky is falling with Goff, imagine having non-functional Alex Smith. Man... Goff showed some skill yesterday. Skill in the pocket, and he was able to throw a few solid medium ranged passes. He's a rookie. There's no way around the growing pains of that. But my goodness he is miles beyond some other rookie QBs.

I think his future is bright. That's my two sense. Hopefully you guys won't be so hard on him given that he's just learning. He wasn't even in anything remotely resembling a pro offense in college. Give him time.

I missed the game yesterday, but saw a tweet where Robinson was a healthy scratch (yet again). Would someone care to give an analysis on the o-line play? Thank you in advance!

After yesterday's game, perhaps some cool picks of your gifts in a bonfire?

:sneak:

In all seriousness; share any cool gifts here...

:santa:

I'll start with this one:

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with a 15 yard catch Kenny Britt went over 1000 yards on the season

Yawn.....

Now that Mariota is toast, you think Titans will give us our picks back for Goff and we can start Mannion next season?

Yeah, right....

Assuming Jim Harbaugh, David Shaw and (thankfully) Chucky appear will not interview for the job.

I voted for Peyton. I think its as close as perfect you can get for us. Has the pedigree and track record we need badly. PERIOD. I don't care what the price is, look how fast the foreskins rebounded under Jay Gruden. Target the man and get the man. PERIOD

EDIT:

If for whatever reason we can't land Payton, then I think Kyle is the call. But again I can't stress enough give up a 3rd & 4rd broken up in differ years.. I don't think a higher pick we be needed under this situation I am guessing.

I believe him. @jrry32 @DaveFan'51 @Legatron4 @Dxmissile


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