Revisting the "great" walterfootball season preview

[Angry Ram]

http://walterfootball.com/offseason2017lar.php

Some snippets...

Making matters worse, Goff was seen partying at the Super Bowl even though he didn't win (or cover) a single game as a rookie. At this rate, Goff could end up being the greatest draft bust in NFL history, as he would beat JaMarcus Russell because of all the Rams had to surrender to obtain him.

It's appearing as though Goff is closer to Gabbert than the other two quarterbacks, as he doesn't seem to have that all-important "it" factor.

However, Whitworth turns 36 during the season, and it's awfully suspicious that he took the money to leave a better team to a horribly run franchise that hasn't been to the playoffs in more than a decade. It's almost as if he went to California to retire early.

That's not to say that Whitworth will definitely slack off, but it's fair to question his passion at this stage of his career.

Goff will need Gurley to rebound because he has no offensive weapons at his disposal. In fact, it could be argued that his receiving corps will be worse in 2017. Kenny Britt had slacked off for years, but he tried hard last year, and he's now gone. Replacing him is the horribly overpaid Robert Woods, a pedestrian No. 2 receiver who will be asked to function like a top wideout. Tavon Austin and rookie Cooper Kupp round out the worst receiving corps in the entire NFL. Second-round rookie tight end Gerald Everett is likely too raw to help out this season, though the Rams should feel optimistic about his future.

Coaches who have done the opposite have almost never panned out in the NFL, so it appears as though Sean McVay is destined to fail. McVay hired Wade Phillips to be the defensive coordinator, so the Rams will be moving to a 3-4. Phillips is a great assistant coach despite causing friction in the Denver locker room. However, it's very fair to question if the Rams have the personnel to make the 3-4 work.

but Barron will almost certainly be abused in run support. The Rams have very little else at inside linebacker, so they're in pretty horrible shape at this position.

If there's a silver lining for the Rams' defense, it's that cornerback E.J. Gaines will be healthy after an injury-ravaged 2016 campaign. Gaines was awful when he played, so he should improve in 2017. He'll start across from the excellent Trumaine Johnson. Nickell Robey-Coleman and Kayvon Webster, meanwhile, were signed for depth. The former played well several seasons ago, so perhaps he can recapture the magic as the starting nickel corner in Los Angeles. Webster struggled last year, but is at least familiar with Phillips' scheme, given that he's a former Bronco.

Along with Johnson, the Rams have another fantastic player in their secondary in Maurice Alexander, a great cover safety who has developed well after being a fourth-round pick in 2014. The Rams, however, lost his partner in crime T.J. McDonald to an expired contract. Lamarcus Joyner will also have to make an adjustment, as he'll have to transition from cornerback to safety in order to compensate for the loss. Third-round rookie John Johnson will compete for the job.

The Rams have quite a few winnable games on their schedule: Redskins (home), 49ers (twice), Jaguars (road), and that's pretty much it.

It's highly unlikely the Rams will be competitive in 2017, and it could be possible that they'll obtain the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The question then will be, do they take Sam Darnold?

Projection: 3-13 (4th in NFC West)

Couple of draft "analyses"

It doesn't really matter whom the Rams add at receiver; they could have Jerry Rice and Cris Carter in their prime, and Jared Goff would still be terrible.

Cooper Kupp is a smart receiver who is a big threat in the red zone, and he obviously fills a need. He also makes sense in this range. It's a solid choice, but Kupp will need Goof to leave in order to post solid numbers.

91. John Johnson, S, Boston College: RAMS R-A-M-E MILLEN Grade
You know, I was just thinking that we haven't had many bad picks. It feels like almost everything has ranged from A+ to "B." I don't know what happened, but Philadelphia has transformed most franchises into competent drafters. Unfortunately, that has not affected the Rams and Bears. Los Angeles selected a player I had in the 200s of my big board. He fills a need, but this is an egregious reach.

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/offseason2017lar.php#ixzz52J5ctWMU

Read more at http://walterfootball.com/offseason2017lar.php#yt3hgyadBAUMPEYO.99

 

[bluecoconuts]

Wow, it's actually impressive. Everything he said was wrong.

 

[jjab360]

Truly one of the great sports analysts of our generation, and he does it all in his PJ's

Anyone else remember him touting Jimmy Clausen as the next big thing in the NFL?

 

[sjm1582002]

That was one cloudy crystal ball.

 

[1maGoh]

Wow, it's actually impressive. Everything he said was wrong.

You sound like Luke out of The Last Jedi.

 

[bluecoconuts]

You sound like Luke out of The Last Jedi.

 

[bluecoconuts]

Truly one of the great sports analysts of our generation, and he does it all in his PJ's

Anyone else remember him touting Jimmy Clausen as the next big thing in the NFL?

The bird? Dude wasn't even good in High School.

 

[Corbin]

And yet posters still go read his trash. I don’t get it. Same with bleacher report. What is the point of even reading it?

 

[Riverumbbq]

Walter was constantly & purposely mis-spelling Goff's name as Goof, ... guess this idiot shouldn't be casting stones in his glass house.

 

[fearsomefour]

Wow, it's actually impressive. Everything he said was wrong.

It's hard to bat 1.000

 

[SoCalRam78]

I read this clown’s website last spring and all summer. He and bill barnwell had hard on hatred for Goff and the rams on virtually every single move.

They can both burn down. Both are idiots. This Walter guy hands out draft grades on every pick like he knows anything. Whitworth lacking passion may have been the dumbest thing he wrote.

 

[Prime Time]

What a great idea for a thread. Let's give a daily reminder of his ineptitude to Walter"I'm No Psychic"Cherepinsky on his Twitter account.

https://twitter.com/walterfootball?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

He hadn't given up on trashing the Rams even before their victory against the Titans and becoming NFC West champions.

http://walterfootball.com/nflpicks2017_16early.php

I wasn't sure about the Rams heading into Week 15

Running the ball won't be as easy this week, however. Todd Gurley exploded against the Seahawks because K.J. Wright was out and Bobby Wagner wasn't anywhere near 100 percent. The Titans are much better versus the rush, as they haven't surrendered 100-plus yards on the ground since Week 4.

Gurley won't have the same sort of dominant performance this week, but he'll still pick up some chunks on occasion, and I expect him to once again be potent as a receiver out of the backfield.

The Rams also have some liabilities in their back seven. Their linebackers aren't great in coverage, aside from Mark Barron, who is considered questionable for this game with a knee injury. Meanwhile, the Rams are missing top cornerback Kayvon Webster, so both Rishard Matthews and Delanie Walker figure to play well.

The Rams just had a major statement victory against the Seahawks, so there's a chance they could have a letdown against the Titans. However, I don't think that's a guarantee because they're a young, enthusiastic squad.

The Psychology. Edge: Titans.

The Rams are coming off a big statement win and could take the Titans lightly.

 

[Antonius]

Wow, it's actually impressive. Everything he said was wrong.

They might have been right about Gerald Everett, but that's it.

 

[Legatron4]

They might have been right about Gerald Everett, but that's it.

Our TEs have been a disappointment this season. I hope we get more production from them next year.

 

[Loyal]

Just tweeted to him:

"Just read your prognostications about the 2017 Rams and how horrible our team would be..3-13 and last place in the NFC West? That's just where the stupidity starts (2017 NFC West Champs-LA Rams). Do you even get paid for this cr@p?"

 

[jrry32]

This is why I tell people year after year to not buy into anything on WalterFootball.

 

[-X-]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwIFMCKlVK8

 

[Memento]

That's why Walterfootball has sucked - and always will suck - more than an F5 tornado in a trailer park.

 

[MTRamsFan]

All I can say is WOW! Just WOW! You can't make this stuff up. This guy is a complete a$$ clown.

 

[Prime Time]

Here are some preseason predictions by the "analysts" over at ESPN. Not saying I could do better but these folks are getting paid for this and are supposedly experts. Some they got right, but on many they were way off. Their problem is that they go by last season's records instead of having any vision whatsoever for the future. So if you were great last year, you will be great again. If you sucked then you will always suck.
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/pag...me-predictions-projected-records-all-32-teams

Teams predicted to go 12-4
Green Bay Packers

Teams predicted to go 11-5
Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks

Teams predicted to go 10-6
Denver Broncos
New York Giants
Oakland Raiders

Teams predicted to go 9-7
Philadelphia Eagles

Teams predicted to go 8-8
Minnesota Vikings

Teams predicted to go 7-9
Los Angeles Rams

By Alden Gonzalez

I went out on a limb and predicted an 8-8 season for the Los Angeles Rams back in April, but so much has happened since then. There have been some positive developments for the much-maligned receiving corps (drafting Cooper Kupp, acquiring Sammy Watkins), but also some troubling signs for the highly touted defensive line (Aaron Donald's prolonged holdout, Dominique Easley's season-ending injury).

The Rams still have a favorable schedule, especially early on. Assuming Donald shows up, they should be very good on defense. And assuming Watkins stays healthy, they're set up to be a lot better on offense. So, is a .500 record -- something the Rams have not attained since 2006 -- still doable?

Here's a revised game-by-game look at how the 2017 season could play out.

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 10, vs. Indianapolis Colts, 4:05 p.m. ET

The Colts will be without their starting center, Ryan Kelly, who will miss the start of the season after having foot surgery. They will probably also be without their franchise quarterback, Andrew Luck, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery. Outside of Luck, the Colts aren't especially good. Being at home, in the first game of the Sean McVay era, against a banged-up team, should lead to a win. Record: 1-0

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 17, vs. Washington Redskins, 4:25 p.m. ET

A lot of familiarity here, with McVay facing his former team and longtime employer, Jay Gruden. Since McVay left, Washington has lost its two primary receivers in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. But the Redskins are still more talented than the Rams offensively, so the guess here is that Kirk Cousins simply outplays Jared Goff. Record: 1-1

Week 3: Thursday, Sept. 21, at San Francisco 49ers, 8:25 p.m. ET

More familiarity for McVay, who now faces his good friend and former co-worker Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers won two games last season, and somehow both came against the Rams. They embarrassed the Rams on Monday Night Football to start the season, then rallied to come from behind late in December. No way the Rams lose again to a team that is at the start of a long rebuilding project. Record: 2-1

Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 1, at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET

The Rams received a jolt of good news when it was announced that standout running back Ezekiel Elliott will be suspended for the first six regular-season games, which would include this one. But even if Elliott's suspension holds up, the Cowboys are crazy good on offense. Good enough that former Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, now the Rams' defensive coordinator, won't be able to contain them on the road. Record: 2-2

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8, vs. Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET

The Seahawks' defense, boosted by the return of safety Earl Thomas, will be the biggest test for McVay's developing offense. Their rejuvenated running game, with Eddie Lacy joining Thomas Rawls in the backfield, will also create problems. The Rams beat the Seahawks in their home opener last season, but Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson was hobbled by an ankle injury. Not so much right now. Record: 2-3

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15, at Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:05 p.m. ET

The question here is: Will Blake Bortles still be starting games by this point? Uncertainty at the quarterback position made me start to rethink this pick, but then I remembered the Rams may also have an uncertain quarterback situation of their own. The Jaguars' defense should be better, at least. And they'll be at home. Rams still lose. Record: 2-4

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 22, vs. Arizona Cardinals in London, 1 p.m. ET

I'm more skeptical than most about the Cardinals. I think their offense will become too reliant on David Johnson, with Carson Palmer now 37 and Larry Fitzgerald now 34. And I think they're going to feel some of their losses on defense. Simply put: I'm not sure they improved this offseason, and they needed to. They're still overall a better team than the Rams, but not overseas. Not this week. Record: 3-4

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 5, at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET

The Giants have the makings of a very talented offense, with Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram joining Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr.They also feature two dynamic cornerbacks in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and former Ram Janoris Jenkins. They'll make life difficult for Goff coming off a coast-to-coast flight. Record: 3-5

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12, vs. Houston Texans, 4:05 p.m. ET

The Texans have their warts, even as reigning AFC South champs. They had the seventh-worst point differential in the NFL last season, and whether it's Tom Savage or Deshaun Watson, the quarterback situation will be a concern. But their defense was solid even without J.J. Watt last season. And now that he's healthy, it's flat-out scary. The Rams' offensive line will have a tough time against Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. Record: 3-6

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 19, at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET

The Vikings' offensive line was a mess last season and very well could be again. That is usually a good matchup for a defense that is led by Donald and overseen by Phillips. The Rams should dominate at the line of scrimmage and avoid a three-game losing streak. Record: 4-6

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 26, vs. New Orleans Saints, 4:05 p.m. ET

Last season's game against the Saints -- in New Orleans -- finished in a demoralizing 49-21 loss for the Rams. And the Drew Brees-led Saints might have more balance this season, thanks to the one-two punch of Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram in their backfield. But I have the Rams getting some revenge at home here. The Saints aren't perfect by any stretch. Record: 5-6

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 3, at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET

So, remember the last time the Rams played in Arizona? They used a quick cadence called "cheetah" and stunned the Cardinals, improving to 3-1 to begin the 2016 season. It was all downhill from there, for the Rams and for their former head coach, Jeff Fisher. This season, the Cardinals get this win to split the season series. Record: 5-7

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET

This will be fun. Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in 2016, goes up against Carson Wentz, the No. 2 overall pick in 2016. The Rams finally got Goff a true No. 1 receiver in Watkins, but Wentz still has the better team around him. I'm switching my pick. Wentz prevails in what we can only hope is a shootout. Record: 5-8

Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 17, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m. ET

The Seahawks were the biggest test for the Rams' offense early on, and now I have McVay making the appropriate adjustments to steal a game in Seattle. It helps that the Seahawks might have already locked up the NFC West by then. Record: 6-8

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 24, at Tennessee Titans, 1 p.m. ET

This is a tough one, on the road against a solid Titans team featuring Marcus Mariota and a stout running game. Tennessee is a popular pick to make the playoffs this season. They'll probably be fighting for a spot by this point, and I have them capturing a win against the Rams on Christmas Eve. Record: 6-9

Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 31, vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 p.m. ET

Last summer, HBO's "Hard Knocks" cameras aired footage of a team meeting with Fisher telling his players that he was "not f---ing going 7-9." The term "7-9 bulls---" stuck with Fisher all season. It became a punchline as the team stumbled to a 4-12 record. Who knew, one year later, that 7-9 would actually qualify as a significant improvement. Rams win here, ending their first season under McVay on a high note. Record: 7-9

Teams predicted to go 4-12
Jacksonville Jaguars

Team predicted to go 3-13
New York Jets