Sony Michel: "I was very fortunate to be able to execute on a positive note"

Sony Michel: "I was very fortunate to be able to execute on a positive note"

Rams running back Sony Michel became the team's first 100-yard rusher this season with his performance against the Jaguars and looks to build on that performance in Week 14.

www.therams.com

Sony Michel: "I was very fortunate to be able to execute on a positive note"​

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Going into last week's game against the Jaguars, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford could sense the gameplan was setting up a "Sony Michel type of game."

His intuition would be correct.

Sony Michel had 24 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown in the Rams' 37-7 victory, becoming their first 100-yard rusher this season. He also an effective ground game that Rams will need once again this week.

"I didn't really think about them putting it on me, I just kind of thought, 'Any opportunity that I get, I'm going to try to take advantage of it,'" Michel said after Thursday's practice. "Opportunities just kept coming my way, and I was very fortunate to be able to execute on a positive note."

The Rams looked to establish Michel early last Sunday, calling his number on the first three plays of their first drive. Michel had runs of seven and six yards on his first two carries to keep the chains moving on a series that ended with a 40-yard field goal by kicker Matt Gay. After the Rams defense recorded its first fumble and fumble recovery, Michel punctuated the drive following the takeaway with a 5-yard touchdown run to give the Rams a 10-0 lead.

By halftime, Michel was averaging a healthy 4.1 yards per carry and had shown the physical presence Rams head coach Sean McVay expected him to bring in that lead back role. In the second half, he broke off a 25-yard run on his way to those 121 rushing yards.

"He's physical. He's tough. He's got great contact balance and really good vision. He's just strong," McVay said during a video conference with reporters Monday. "When you're just looking at Sony Michel, he's a sturdy, tough back. So, all of those things are really reflective. He's really conscientious, really smart."

Stafford described Michel as "steady, even-keel."

"(He) comes to work every single day. You can tell he's been in New England," Stafford said after Thursday's practice. "He's a grinder. He likes to come in here and work and that's awesome. I think both he and (RB) Darrell (Henderson Jr.) have done excellent jobs when we've asked them to do it this year. Continue to hopefully get the same kind of effort from both those guys."

Heading into Week 14, the Rams will need another strong performance out of Michel – plus Henderson, if he plays.

In the first meeting between the two teams, the Cardinals ran for 216 yards on 40 carries as a team, a factor in them to control the time of possession by more than 10 minutes. If the Rams want to limit the effectiveness of the Cardinals offense, an efficient run game will be critical to winning the time of possession battle, keeping the ball out of Cardinals Murray's hands, and putting together another complementary performance.

Along those same lines, McVay knows the offense is most effective when they can get both Michel and Henderson Jr. McVay said Monday that it was good to get Michel going, but they "definitely" want to find ways to have Henderson be a big part of the offense.

Whatever that carry distribution looks like moving forward, Michel's approach will remain unchanged.

"Hopefully," Michel said, when asked if he thinks last Sunday's performance will lead to more opportunities. "We all wish we'd get more opportunities in our profession. But my mindset is continue what I've been doing – keep working, keep grinding, keep sticking to the root of things, and hopefully I get opportunities."

 

[snackdaddy]

I think Michel should be the RB1. Not a bell cow type back but maybe 60 percent of the carries. The offense does better if they can establish a physical run game. Henderson could be the change of pace guy.

 

[Merlin]

Feed him early to ground things and get some tough yards. As the Cards defense loosens up work Hendy in. Guy like Hendy with all that speed is more dangerous when the defense is tired and starts giving up seams.

 

[Ram Ts]

I like the idea of using them both. Mainly going with the hot hand that day - but also matchups and situational.
Like goal line / short yardage needs to be SM. We suck as short yardage and have for years. SM is a much better option for that one or less yardage pickup. But I love Hendo in the open field and passing game. Both can & should be used - thunder and lightening.

 

[Mikey Ram]

Terrific effort and a bit humble (or so it would seem)...Not seen often these days...I hope that was an epiphany moment for McVay...

 

[Kupped]

He's not "explosive" and, to me, that's absolutely why McVay prefers Henderson. This is a situation where McVay really needs to stand back and look at the big picture and be patient.
Sony consistently putting them in positive down and distance is more important than the occasional 15+ that Henderson gets you as a starter.
I love mixing Hendo in.

 

[jap]

I think Michel should be the RB1. Not a bell cow type back but maybe 60 percent of the carries. The offense does better if they can establish a physical run game. Henderson could be the change of pace guy.

Exactly! Right now Sony is the bell-cow, grinder-like feature back while Hendo is is the change up-type RB. Hopefully, we will regain the services of a healthy Cam Akers near the end of the regular season where he can take over the dominant bell cow role, while Sony becomes the tough yards grinder, Hendo remains as Mr. ChangeUp.

 

[jap]

He's not "explosive" and, to me, that's absolutely why McVay prefers Henderson. This is a situation where McVay really needs to stand back and look at the big picture and be patient.
Sony consistently putting them in positive down and distance is more important than the occasional 15+ that Henderson gets you as a starter.
I love mixing Hendo in.

Cam is more explosive than Sony, and, to be honest, I sincerely believe that Cam is slightly more explosive than a primetime Todd Gurley. He is a tad slower than Hendo, but the better overall back by far. I have stated several times before that Cam strongly reminds me of primetime Terrell Davis who gained over 2000 yards one season for the Denver Broncoes. Both have that uncanny knack of spinning or somehow driving forward for an extra 3-5 yards after the first solid hit.

I so much would love to have Matthew enjoy a first rate running attack to complement his passing game. If we had a healthy Cam all season, we may have never lost a single game. I really hope Cam returns to close out the regular season and provide our playoff campaign with a super steroid boost to carry us to a Super Bowl victory. Yes, I love! being positive and dreaming BIG!!!

 

[Kupped]

Cam is more explosive than Sony, and, to be honest, I sincerely believe that Cam is slightly more explosive than a primetime Todd Gurley. He is a tad slower than Hendo, but the better overall back by far. I have stated several times before that Cam strongly reminds me of primetime Terrell Davis who gained over 2000 yards one season for the Denver Broncoes. Both have that uncanny knack of spinning or somehow driving forward for an extra 3-5 yards after the first solid hit.

I so much would love to have Matthew enjoy a first rate running attack to complement his passing game. If we had a healthy Cam all season, we may have never lost a single game. I really hope Cam returns to close out the regular season and provide our playoff campaign with a super steroid boost to carry us to a Super Bowl victory. Yes, I love! being positive and dreaming BIG!!!

I want to thank you for saying Cam is more explosive than Gurley.. it just made me go look back at 2017 Gurley.. as well as Cam last year.
I don't think Cam is as truly explosive.. but I think they're both excellent.
Gurley, though.. man.. he was an effing cheat code in 2017. Wow.
Cam definitely was a difference maker for the Rams down the stretch and in playoffs last year.. what a huge loss for the Rams this year, damnit.

 

[jap]

I want to thank you for saying Cam is more explosive than Gurley.. it just made me go look back at 2017 Gurley.. as well as Cam last year.
I don't think Cam is as truly explosive.. but I think they're both excellent.
Gurley, though.. man.. he was an effing cheat code in 2017. Wow.
Cam definitely was a difference maker for the Rams down the stretch and in playoffs last year.. what a huge loss for the Rams this year, damnit.

When I say Cam is slightly more explosive than Todd, I am specifically referring to the initial burst through the hole. It may be due to the fact that he was carrying less body weight than Todd or whatever but that initial burst was more explosive. (In general, coaches tend to use the term "explosion" whenever they are describing initial acceleration from zero to top speed.) After both RBs got rolling they ran at about the same rate of speed. However, it is that initial burst that slightly separates Cam over Todd.

 

[Kupped]

When I say Cam is slightly more explosive than Todd, I am specifically referring to the initial burst through the hole. It may be due to the fact that he was carrying less body weight than Todd or whatever but that initial burst was more explosive. (In general, coaches tend to use the term "explosion" whenever they are describing initial acceleration from zero to top speed.) After both RBs got rolling they ran at about the same rate of speed. However, it is that initial burst that slightly separates Cam over Todd.

I totally get what you're saying, I just don't quite see it that way.
What I see is Cam having much, much, much better feet in short space and being able to do slight changes of direction without losing speed.. it's a high, high level talent.
Gurley? If there's any space and sunshine.. he's just gone. But he didn't have the vision or lateral movement to be a great inside runner.
He also simply ran through most arm tackles.. that's part of the difference between being "fast" and "quick" and "explosive".. to be explosive... you have to carry real *force.*
Gurley carried about 10 pounds more than Akers at the NFL level and had true home run speed. I haven't seen Akers show the ability to run away from DBs the way Gurley did on the 80 yard screen against the Titans in 17.

 

[jap]

I totally get what you're saying, I just don't quite see it that way.
What I see is Cam having much, much, much better feet in short space and being able to do slight changes of direction without losing speed.. it's a high, high level talent.
Gurley? If there's any space and sunshine.. he's just gone. But he didn't have the vision or lateral movement to be a great inside runner.
He also simply ran through most arm tackles.. that's part of the difference between being "fast" and "quick" and "explosive".. to be explosive... you have to carry real *force.*
Gurley carried about 10 pounds more than Akers at the NFL level and had true home run speed. I haven't seen Akers show the ability to run away from DBs the way Gurley did on the 80 yard screen against the Titans in 17.

I know where you are coming from. However, in the open field I felt Todd would employ his top end speed more than Cam did. I have seen Cam open up with his top speed too, but he tends to be more picky about employing his blockers more than Todd did, perhaps because he did carry less weight than Todd - I mean Todd's thighs were as big as a lineman's.

These terms you are throwing around, like "fast," "quick," and "explosive," are not just coach speak, they are actually physics terms. "Fast" is generally synonymous with "speed" or "velocity" (change in distance over time), although speed is a scalar quantity (i.e., magnitude only) while velocity is a vector quantity (magnitude plus direction). "Quickness," a vector quantity, is the slang term for "acceleration" (change in velocity over time), while "explosion" used in this sense would compare with the "jerk" or "jolt"(another vector quantity - change in acceleration over time). You are employing the term "explosion" like a bomb exploding, but that is not how coaches generally use the term when they talk about a player being "explosive."

 

[Kupped]

I know where you are coming from. However, in the open field I felt Todd would employ his top end speed more than Cam did. I have seen Cam open up with his top speed too, but he tends to be more picky about employing his blockers more than Todd did, perhaps because he did carry less weight than Todd - I mean Todd's thighs were as big as a lineman's.

These terms you are throwing around, like "fast," "quick," and "explosive," are not just coach speak, they are actually physics terms. "Fast" is generally synonymous with "speed" or "velocity" (change in distance over time), although speed is a scalar quantity (i.e., magnitude only) while velocity is a vector quantity (magnitude plus direction). "Quickness," a vector quantity, is the slang term for "acceleration" (change in velocity over time), while "explosion" used in this sense would compare with the "jerk" or "jolt"(another vector quantity - change in acceleration over time). You are employing the term "explosion" like a bomb exploding, but that is not how coaches generally use the term when they talk about a player being "explosive."

I've heard the "explosive" thing used in the discussion of NFL players many times and the concept of an "explosive NFL athlete" certainly brings weight and size into play... or at least force.
Here's one example..

Top eight most explosive prospects in 2016 NFL Draft​

"Explosive" is a term often used to describe football players, but what does that really mean?
Dictionary.com's definition of explode includes a phrase that I believe aptly summarizes the concept: "to burst forth violently."
These prospects each have a rare combination of speed and power. Here's my list of the most explosive players in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Top eight most explosive prospects in 2016 NFL Draft

"Explosive" is a term often used to describe football players, but what does that really mean? Dictionary.com's definition of explode includes a phrase that I believe aptly summarizes the concept: "to burst forth violently." These prospects each have a

www.nfl.com

But, I'll happily acknowledge, it's not a clearly defined term.

 

[jap]

I've heard the "explosive" thing used in the discussion of NFL players many times and the concept of an "explosive NFL athlete" certainly brings weight and size into play... or at least force.
Here's one example..

Top eight most explosive prospects in 2016 NFL Draft​

"Explosive" is a term often used to describe football players, but what does that really mean?
Dictionary.com's definition of explode includes a phrase that I believe aptly summarizes the concept: "to burst forth violently."
These prospects each have a rare combination of speed and power. Here's my list of the most explosive players in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Top eight most explosive prospects in 2016 NFL Draft

"Explosive" is a term often used to describe football players, but what does that really mean? Dictionary.com's definition of explode includes a phrase that I believe aptly summarizes the concept: "to burst forth violently." These prospects each have a

www.nfl.com

But, I'll happily acknowledge, it's not a clearly defined term.

The term explosion is not confined to football coach speak. It is also employed heavily in track & field, basketball, and other sports. I taught physics at the high school level and physics-oriented general science at the technical college level. So the application of these terms as coaches generally use them is immediately obvious to me. The way how you appear to be using the term explosion is normally described using a term like momentum (i.e., mass times velocity). That term is much closer to capturing the concepts of weight (i.e., gravitational force ) or force (mass times acceleration). The usage of these terms are obviously derived from the concepts employed in physics. There may be those who employ the terms sloppily, but the general usage tend to be directly carried over with how they are employed in physics - just as they are used in ballistics or other areas that borrow the standard physics definitions.

 

[Kupped]

The term explosion is not confined to football coach speak. It is also employed heavily in track & field, basketball, and other sports. I taught physics at the high school level and physics-oriented general science at the technical college level. So the application of these terms as coaches generally use them are immediately obvious to me. The way how you appear to be using the term explosion is normally described using a term like momentum (i.e., mass times velocity). That term is much closer to capturing the concepts of weight (i.e., gravitational acceleration ) or force (mass times acceleration). The usage of these terms are obviously derived from the concepts employed in physics. There may be those who employ the terms sloppily, but the general usage tend to be directly carried over with how they are employed in physics - just as they are used when in ballistics or other areas that borrow the standard physics definitions.

We were talking about running backs who are "explosive" in a high contact sport where force is an important factor.

I'm pretty comfortable with my usage within that context.

If we're purely talking about speed and quickness, I'd use those terms.

 

[jap]

We were talking about running backs who are "explosive" in a high contact sport where force is an important factor.

I'm pretty comfortable with my usage within that context.

If we're purely talking about speed and quickness, I'd use those terms.

You are free to employ them however you want to use them. However, I have seen these terms used heavily in sports, ballistics (gun fire, conventional artillery, nuclear warfare, etc.), and other areas all my life, and even though the terms are sometimes employed sloppily by writers who are not physics savvy, the general usage is obviously derived from the classic physics definitions. I do not even see why you are seeking to take me to task here. I have criticized many writers for years for their sloppy usage of scientific or mathematical terms. I am a math & science guy, and I know how they are supposed to be used. People still confuse relatively simple concepts such as weight and mass, using them as synonyms when they actually have distinct definitions that are not synonymous at all. It can be a royal pain in the behind trying to simply talk simplistic math or science concepts with many people, to say nothing of trying to teach or tutor them, when they do not even understand the most basic definitions. No wonder many link the USA decline in education to the growing ignorance in mathematics and the sciences.

 

[Oregonram]

I just want McVay to go HEAVY on Monday. A good punch in the teeth ground game travels well. Ironically a physical ground game will bring passing lightning…make those linebackers respect the run, and get them the hell out of those passing lanes. Make Noteboom blow off their backers and safeties….go HEAVY…go RAMS!

 

[Kupped]

You are free to employ them however you want to use them. However, I have seen these terms used heavily in sports, ballistics (gun fire, conventional artillery, nuclear warfare, etc.), and other areas all my life, and even though the terms are sometimes employed sloppily by writers who are not physics savvy, the general usage is obviously derived from the classic physics definitions. I do not even see why you are seeking to take me to task here. I have criticized many writers for years for their sloppy usage of scientific or mathematical terms. I am a math & science guy, and I know how they are supposed to be used. People still confuse relatively simple concepts such as weight and mass, using them as synonyms when they actually have distinct definitions that are not synonymous at all. It can be a royal pain in the behind trying to simply talk simplistic math or science concepts with many people, to say nothing of trying to teach or tutor them, when they do not even understand the most basic definitions. No wonder many link the USA decline in education to the growing ignorance in mathematics and the sciences.

Here’s the thing…
I’m not telling *you* how to use the term, I’m telling you how I see it used, in football.
The thing is, it’s not as tightly a defined term here as you would suggest.
I wasn’t telling you how to think, I was explaining my process and where it took me.
None of this was meant, in any way, to take you to task.
That tone would be unmistakable.

 

[So Ram]

Feed him early to ground things and get some tough yards. As the Cards defense loosens up work Hendy in. Guy like Hendy with all that speed is more dangerous when the defense is tired and starts giving up seams.

I keep asking about Mcvay & his system. Those 3 runs last game were already designed in the play calling.
Interesting how that works Imo. I also don’t think reporters are doing there job on this question.I never knew for 3/4(5)years ?
Anyway I could be wrong,but my question is how many times on The Rams first possession will Sony get the ball ? I’ll say 2,but what order will be interesting.The Cards DC is one of the best.The cards will get a comp pick for him.

 

[So Ram]

I just want McVay to go HEAVY on Monday. A good punch in the teeth ground game travels well. Ironically a physical ground game will bring passing lightning…make those linebackers respect the run, and get them the hell out of those passing lanes. Make Noteboom blow off their backers and safeties….go HEAVY…go RAMS!

That is sort of a no Brainer & The Rams brought it out for this game.Last week is the start of this evolution. Agreed though.

Only 2 RB’s on the 48 though. Look for B. Hopkins Monday Night.