Akers OUT for personal reasons

[snackdaddy]

They're not activating the rookie for this game. I would assume Akers will be activated.

 

[Rams4life]

They're not activating the rookie for this game. I would assume Akers will be activated.

Let's hope not. They may just roll with Rivers off the practice squad again like they have the last 2 games.

 

[Kupped]

They're not activating the rookie for this game. I would assume Akers will be activated.

Same.. and they should. No reason not to, if you've already let him back to practice.

 

[Faceplant]

Let's hope not. They may just roll with Rivers off the practice squad again like they have the last 2 games.

Yeah, because that has worked so well...

You play your best players. The guys who give your team the best chance at winning the game. Period.

 

[Rams4life]

Yeah, because that has worked so well...

You play your best players. The guys who give your team the best chance at winning the game. Period.

Well since Akers isn't the best option at RB then I think we are safe. Let's go Hendo.

McVay already said he wasn't sure if Akers would be active this week. So they means he won't imo.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

CJ Anderson says hello.


This is an Oline issue. Missing holes is bad, but if you’re constantly getting hit behind the line or at the line, you’re not really expecting holes to appear

CJ and Sony were not by choice but by necessity. That was not the style of back that McVay seems to like. If he did he’d draft them.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I agree that Callahan is a terrific OL-coach. However, I keep coming-back to the quality of OL players.

Callahan's first season in Cleveland was 2020. The Browns' O-Line that year featured two former high first round picks (Conklin #8 and Wills #10) and a very high second round pick (Bitonio #35); and a Center (Tretter) who had been a highly sought after free agent a couple years earlier. The starters that year were also healthy, with just seven total missed games all season.

By comparison, the highest drafted Rams' starter was Havenstein (#57). Due to injuries, the five projected starters have already missed 12 games; and that number will go up to 15 tomorrow. Add to that, two of the three projected top reserves are on season-ending-IR.

Regardless of coaching or scheme, teams can't just roll-out anyone. The Rams have been starting back-ups to the back-ups and a street free agent. The top two reserves are also street free agents.

But this running problem goes beyond this season

 

[dieterbrock]

They're not activating the rookie for this game. I would assume Akers will be activated.

Is this fact or just what you’re thinking? I was really hoping to see him in uni

 

[brucebruce]

exactly. nfl will need to help oline with more rules like wr recieved. or teams might have to try to convert dline to oline to find more athleticism.

this will help protect the qb and increase offense.

 

[Allen2McVay]

But this running problem goes beyond this season

Yes and No. I am looking at the numbers, and they are All-Over-The-Place.

While the running game was below-average last season, it was MUCH better than this year ... thus far.

2022 ... 68.4 yards-per-game / 3.3 yards-per-rush ... horrendous
2021 ... 99 yards-per-game / 4.0 yards per-rush ... below average

2020 ... 126 yards-per-game (10th-best in the NFL) / 4.3 yards-per-rush ... that's good!

2019 ... 93.7 yards-per-game / 3.7 yards-per-rush ... Not good, and a non-playoff-season.
Here is something worth noting ... Injuries on the O-Line.
In 2019, O-Line starters Allen, Noteboom and Havenstein all missed half the season.

Coincidence?

I'm just saying that health and continuity on the O-Line are Critical Factors.

 

[Merlin]

They're not activating the rookie for this game. I would assume Akers will be activated.

Not so sure about this one. Since I don't know what was said or who it was said to it's hard to gauge how pissed McVay might still be. For example if Akers told Samples to go F himself the head coach is expected to uphold that order and discipline by backing his staff. Has it been long enough for that? No idea.

But I hope you are right about Akers being activated. And I hope that you're wrong about the rookie because I'd like to have both of them available.

 

[Kupped]

Not so sure about this one. Since I don't know what was said or who it was said to it's hard to gauge how pissed McVay might still be. For example if Akers told Samples to go F himself the head coach is expected to uphold that order and discipline by backing his staff. Has it been long enough for that? No idea.

But I hope you are right about Akers being activated. And I hope that you're wrong about the rookie because I'd like to have both of them available.

I can’t imagine he’d be at practice if there was any issue left to be resolved.

 

[Merlin]

Just saying I wouldn't be making sweeping statements either way.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yes and No. I am looking at the numbers, and they are All-Over-The-Place.

While the running game was below-average last season, it was MUCH better than this year ... thus far.

2022 ... 68.4 yards-per-game / 3.3 yards-per-rush ... horrendous
2021 ... 99 yards-per-game / 4.0 yards per-rush ... below average

2020 ... 126 yards-per-game (10th-best in the NFL) / 4.3 yards-per-rush ... that's good!

2019 ... 93.7 yards-per-game / 3.7 yards-per-rush ... Not good, and a non-playoff-season.
Here is something worth noting ... Injuries on the O-Line.
In 2019, O-Line starters Allen, Noteboom and Havenstein all missed half the season.

Coincidence?

I'm just saying that health and continuity on the O-Line are Critical Factors.

Allen and Noteboom were terrible in 2019. Noteboom was at guard and that’s not his position.

The injuries are a big deal. Not having Whitworth this year was a big deal too.

Wasn’t 2020 Akers big year in the second half. Before that the run game was not impressive. Even the Sony Michel success was not that impressive. They had to grind to get every yard. Not many holes were being opened for big gains.

 

[So Ram]

Allen and Noteboom were terrible in 2019. Noteboom was at guard and that’s not his position.

The injuries are a big deal. Not having Whitworth this year was a big deal too.

Wasn’t 2020 Akers big year in the second half. Before that the run game was not impressive. Even the Sony Michel success was not that impressive. They had to grind to get every yard. Not many holes were being opened for big gains.

I think most of us can agree taking Tutu Atwell where The Rams did without addressing the depth of the O’Line probably was a mistake.

I’ll continue to say it,not as a dig on T. Atwell,but rather where The Rams we’re financially,draft & Free Agents.

Brian Allen was 2nd string RG
Austin Corbett was the starting center.
Coleman Shelton was the #2 center.
Joe Noteboom was a Free Agent like all the above players.

Whitworth was retiring & Bobby Evans The Rams believed at that point.

A’Jackson though sort of makes up for the not drafting of a G/C. Where do you find a starting LT like him as a UDRFA?

 

[Allen2McVay]

Allen and Noteboom were terrible in 2019. Noteboom was at guard and that’s not his position.

The injuries are a big deal. Not having Whitworth this year was a big deal too.

Wasn’t 2020 Akers big year in the second half. Before that the run game was not impressive. Even the Sony Michel success was not that impressive. They had to grind to get every yard. Not many holes were being opened for big gains.

Quality of talent at the position is important. That’s a given.

But health and continuity are necessary and critical. Not saying the projected 2022 OL would have been a strength. Only saying that the abundance of injuries has to make it a weakness.

Tried to provide some stats to prove that point. I have another one specific to continuity and health, and the Rams. Will try to provide it later this morning.

Beautiful day here in NYC. Marathon Day!

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Quality of talent at the position is important. That’s a given.

But health and continuity are necessary and critical. Not saying the projected 2022 OL would have been a strength. Only saying that the abundance of injuries has to make it a weakness.

Tried to provide some stats to prove that point. I have another one specific to continuity and health, and the Rams. Will try to provide it later this morning.

Beautiful day here in NYC. Marathon Day!

Injuries, continuity, coaching and quality of personnel all matter obviously. We took big gambles on the personnel piece though, and it hasn't helped.

 

[Allen2McVay]

We took big gambles on the personnel piece though, and it hasn't helped.

The Rams were in a tough spot, with five OL set to leave (three starters in Whitworth, Allen and Corbett) plus the top-two reserves (Shelton and Noteboom) from a Super Bowl Champion with limited cap flexibility.

Nothing they could do about Whitworth but they re-signed three of their four free agents. They also used their top pick on an O-Lineman.

All four were injured.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Allen and Noteboom were terrible in 2019. Noteboom was at guard and that’s not his position.

The injuries are a big deal. Not having Whitworth this year was a big deal too.

Follow-up to the Health and Continuity point from my previous response.

It’s really tough to have 100% health and continuity on the O-Line. In fact, it’s darn near impossible.

In 2016, there was only one team in the NFL to start the same five O-Linemen all 16 games. Just One. The Atlanta Falcons. And, the Falcons led the NFL in scoring.

In 2027, no team started the same five all 16 games but the Rams were close. They had the same five starters through 15 games when McVay decided to sit some guys for the final game. The Rams led the NFL in scoring that year.

The Rams enjoyed tremendous continuity (and luck) the next season, when they were the only team in the NFL to have the same five O-Line starters for all 16 games. The Rams did not lead the NFL in scoring in 2018. The Chiefs did. The Rams were 2nd but scored more points than the prior season when they were first.

I always liked that one.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Quality of talent at the position is important. That’s a given.

But health and continuity are necessary and critical. Not saying the projected 2022 OL would have been a strength. Only saying that the abundance of injuries has to make it a weakness.

Tried to provide some stats to prove that point. I have another one specific to continuity and health, and the Rams. Will try to provide it later this morning.

Beautiful day here in NYC. Marathon Day!

I’m not arguing that injuries and continuity don’t matter. Far from it.

My point is that they assembled this line. They look for specific traits in Olinemen, but never put a dominant Oline together over a season, even without injuries. I think that their model doesn’t exactly work all that well. And, if a team wants to beat it easily they put an extra defender on the line and McVay has no answer.

San Francisco plugs in backups and still runs the ball well and protects the passer. They do have to good to great OTs but the interior aren’t highly drafted prospects like McGlinchey and Williams.

Maybe it is their desire to have linemen that can play multiple positions. The one guy that hasn’t recently got the mold is Aleric Jackson. He went vegan and lost a lot of weight, then gained it back and says he plays better with the extra weight. He’s their most consistent Olineman.