A few more thoughts have filtered into my head since the Raider game...

[Mackeyser]

If they called them straight up, they'd all stop doing it so much.

My sales reps turn in about 100 2-Page applications per week. My office staff was sick of having to waste their time and complete about 20 per week, which was the sales reps responsibility. After months of the staff begging the reps to please turn in completed apps, they gave up.

I implemented a processing fee of $25 per app to the sales rep, and Bam, none of the apps had errors. This was 6 months ago, and still wirking well. Only getting about 5 errors/incomplete apps per month vs. a 100.

So do the same for holding!!!! Call the Penalty!!!

That's how I feel about it...

It'd take awhile to adjust, but the NFL would adjust... and then it wouldn't matter who the refs were and what their predilections were.

In baseball, it all sorts of averages out considering the 162 games, but you can see how big a deal it is come the NLCS/ALCS and WS.

The NFL only has 16 games to determine the playoffs. That's a really small sample size where even one game that's called different can change the entire course of the season.

Imagine an OL that's playing well and has had 3 straight crews who "let them play" and only called holding if an OL took a Defender to the ground. Then in the 4th week, you get a crew that calls the game tighter. We've seen it in games where all of a sudden, the team has 4 holding penalties and they've literally done NOTHING different.

That's what's frustrating. I want my Rams to win because they are the best team in the NFL, not because they did or didn't get the benefit of calls. Otherwise, the outcome is based far too much on randomness outside of either team's control or the outcome is based on something else.

I think we'd all prefer it be based purely on the play of the teams with uniform rule enforcement throughout.

 

[SteveBrown]

Brockers, Suh and DOnald played the run well mostly on every down; Suh didn't look like he was penetrating gaps, but somehow reading and reacting...impressive.

Brockers looks pretty good rushing the passer; AD will improve; Suh looked average at best rushing the passer....tired, doesn't know what to do, I am not sure. 14 mill for an A- run stopper is a lot.....I will watch the game again, and focus on him.

Littleton: ya, I am pretty happy. I liked his instincts and running to the ball. He is more like a huge strong safety playing LBer. I think he will get better....and if Barron makes it back, then we have something really good. Suh makes Littleton a lot better!

 

[Flint]

Assuming key players stay healthy.... for this team to get to the SB the LBs will have to grow into this defense by playoff time. The TEs have to become a factor, especially on 3rd down and red zone. And Goff has to take that next step from a good young QB in a QB friendly offense to a guy that rises above the offense at times and just makes a big play by improvisation and be clutch at the end of a game.

The good news that is all possible. I mean I am not saying Goff has to be Aaron Rogers, just win a game or two late and show defenses that he can extend a play to make a big play when needed.

The LBs should be the easiest in terms of getting where they need to. I am more concerned about the TEs and Goff's apparent lack of trust in them. Can they step up and will he trust them in key spots?

A lot of people are saying Goff needs to take the next step, I think we’re already seeing Goff’s evolution. Last year was an extension of his rookie year in a lot of ways, new coach, new system, new players. And he did very well, I heard a stat that said Goff threw into tight windows only 10% of the time last year, lowest in the league. To me that says McVay tailored the offense to Goff and Goff threw it to guys who were open. Monday, Goff seemed more aggressive, taking shots downfield. Last year Goff and McVay were figuring each other out now I think they have a better idea what the other is capable of.
Goff wasn’t afraid to throw it around in college and I think we’ll see more of that from him, but he’s also lucky to be able to throw dump offs to TG that turn into 50 yd tds.