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What Lions Fans Are Saying
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Ah, memories of Jeff Fisher-ball... "no sense" football... beat the teams you shouldn't because... well, it makes no sense.
Then, lose to a lesser opponent because... well, it makes no sense.
Here's to a coach (and staff) that actually knows how to coach... and make sense!! :cheers:
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Lol...Love when Lions still like they have ownership of the guy they passed on...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9H1n2ZAxt0
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9H1n2ZAxt0
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https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...ngeles-rams-offense-detroit-lions/2152965002/
L.A. Rams' offense near impossible to stop. What Detroit Lions will see
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Maybe he’s just being modest, but the architect of the NFL’s most lethal offense sees himself more as a pigskin pickpocket than football genius.
“As far as the ingenuity and stuff, a lot of these things are things that certainly we’re not the first people to do it,” Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said in a teleconference with Detroit reporters Wednesday. “There’s so much good film out there, whether it be college tape or pro tape, and we’re certainly not shy to use something if it fits for us. So a lot of these things are just recycled versions of plays that have been run for a long, long time in football.”
Recycled or not, the Rams have run roughshod over the rest of the NFL this year thanks to a high-flying offense that’s one of the most unique and dangerous in the league.
At 10-1, the Rams are tied for the best record in the NFL and can clinch their second straight NFC West Division title with a win Sunday over the Detroit Lions (1 p.m. Fox).
They rank third in the league in points (35.4 per game), second in yards (448.6 ypg) and have two legitimate MVP candidates in quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley.
Beyond Goff and Gurley, the Rams have a deep group of pass catchers, a talented offensive line and a head coach in McVay – the youngest in the NFL at just 32 years old – who's built an offense that stresses defenses with its tempo, formations and play design.
“I think that's what makes the offense so special is No. 1 they have very good players, and a lot of very good players,” Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni said. “Wide receivers, tight ends, running backs. The quarterback is the No. (3) rated guy in the league right now, I think, and he’s playing really well. And great design by the coaches.
Completely understanding the skill set of each player and coming up with the design, the scheme in the offense, that puts those guys in position and gets them the ball and gives them opportunities to use their skill set and make plays.”
The Rams average a whopping 9.3 yards per pass play (the Lions average 6.9 yards, by comparison) in part because Gurley's presence in the backfield affords them extra time and space to take shots downfield.
Goff ranks among the top five in the NFL in both average time to throw and average intended air yards, and his 57 completions of 20 yards or more are second only to Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said he studied the Rams’ offense during his down time last spring and came away marveling at how "they do a great job of meshing the run and the play-action pass game."
"Those things look the same to me a lot of times, and that’s I think pretty valuable for an offense and pretty tough on a defense," Cooter said. "It’s been a while since I’ve really gotten to dive into their tape because of the season, and that’s how it goes. We glance at things from time to time. We may have some crossover tape from time to time, but I would say the run-pass versatility they have where it really does look the same or look very similar when the ball is snapped is pretty valuable."
The Rams play primarily out of “11 personnel” with one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers on the field.
Gurley is just as dangerous catching the ball (he has 43 receptions) as he is running it (1,043 yards), and he often enjoys six-man boxes because of the way defenses have to account for the Rams’ personnel.
Beyond the sheer offensive talent the Rams have – not many teams in the league have a trio of skill players as respected as Goff, Gurley and receiver Brandin Cooks – Pasqualoni said McVay does of great job of designing plays to take advantage of his individual players’ strengths.
Cooks, for instance, excels on vertical routes and in run-after-the-catch situations, while Robert Woods is a great intermediate route runner, and more often than not they're used in those roles.
“There’s guys who are better at certain things than other guys, they just do a really good job of zeroing in on what everybody’s really, really good at and designing and getting them into those concepts,” Pasqualoni said. “And the quarterback is doing an excellent job of executing it.”
Goff has thrown just one interception in the Rams’ last five games and is coming off a 413-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 54-51 win over Mahomes' Chiefs.
That type of shootout, while not yet commonplace, seems to be where the NFL is headed, with the Rams leading the way.
“The way they do things makes it difficult on a defense,” safety Glover Quin said. “But we understand what they’re doing and what they’re trying to do, so like I said, we execute our game plan better than they execute theirs, we should be in good shape.”
---------------
Do you think they'll score a 100? Seriously.
L.A. Rams' offense near impossible to stop. What Detroit Lions will see
Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Maybe he’s just being modest, but the architect of the NFL’s most lethal offense sees himself more as a pigskin pickpocket than football genius.
“As far as the ingenuity and stuff, a lot of these things are things that certainly we’re not the first people to do it,” Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said in a teleconference with Detroit reporters Wednesday. “There’s so much good film out there, whether it be college tape or pro tape, and we’re certainly not shy to use something if it fits for us. So a lot of these things are just recycled versions of plays that have been run for a long, long time in football.”
Recycled or not, the Rams have run roughshod over the rest of the NFL this year thanks to a high-flying offense that’s one of the most unique and dangerous in the league.
At 10-1, the Rams are tied for the best record in the NFL and can clinch their second straight NFC West Division title with a win Sunday over the Detroit Lions (1 p.m. Fox).
They rank third in the league in points (35.4 per game), second in yards (448.6 ypg) and have two legitimate MVP candidates in quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley.
Beyond Goff and Gurley, the Rams have a deep group of pass catchers, a talented offensive line and a head coach in McVay – the youngest in the NFL at just 32 years old – who's built an offense that stresses defenses with its tempo, formations and play design.
“I think that's what makes the offense so special is No. 1 they have very good players, and a lot of very good players,” Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni said. “Wide receivers, tight ends, running backs. The quarterback is the No. (3) rated guy in the league right now, I think, and he’s playing really well. And great design by the coaches.
Completely understanding the skill set of each player and coming up with the design, the scheme in the offense, that puts those guys in position and gets them the ball and gives them opportunities to use their skill set and make plays.”
The Rams average a whopping 9.3 yards per pass play (the Lions average 6.9 yards, by comparison) in part because Gurley's presence in the backfield affords them extra time and space to take shots downfield.
Goff ranks among the top five in the NFL in both average time to throw and average intended air yards, and his 57 completions of 20 yards or more are second only to Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said he studied the Rams’ offense during his down time last spring and came away marveling at how "they do a great job of meshing the run and the play-action pass game."
"Those things look the same to me a lot of times, and that’s I think pretty valuable for an offense and pretty tough on a defense," Cooter said. "It’s been a while since I’ve really gotten to dive into their tape because of the season, and that’s how it goes. We glance at things from time to time. We may have some crossover tape from time to time, but I would say the run-pass versatility they have where it really does look the same or look very similar when the ball is snapped is pretty valuable."
The Rams play primarily out of “11 personnel” with one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers on the field.
Gurley is just as dangerous catching the ball (he has 43 receptions) as he is running it (1,043 yards), and he often enjoys six-man boxes because of the way defenses have to account for the Rams’ personnel.
Beyond the sheer offensive talent the Rams have – not many teams in the league have a trio of skill players as respected as Goff, Gurley and receiver Brandin Cooks – Pasqualoni said McVay does of great job of designing plays to take advantage of his individual players’ strengths.
Cooks, for instance, excels on vertical routes and in run-after-the-catch situations, while Robert Woods is a great intermediate route runner, and more often than not they're used in those roles.
“There’s guys who are better at certain things than other guys, they just do a really good job of zeroing in on what everybody’s really, really good at and designing and getting them into those concepts,” Pasqualoni said. “And the quarterback is doing an excellent job of executing it.”
Goff has thrown just one interception in the Rams’ last five games and is coming off a 413-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 54-51 win over Mahomes' Chiefs.
That type of shootout, while not yet commonplace, seems to be where the NFL is headed, with the Rams leading the way.
“The way they do things makes it difficult on a defense,” safety Glover Quin said. “But we understand what they’re doing and what they’re trying to do, so like I said, we execute our game plan better than they execute theirs, we should be in good shape.”
---------------
Do you think they'll score a 100? Seriously.
-X-
Medium-sized Lebowski
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- 35,576
- Name
- The Dude
Sing it with me, Saints fans.
Yesterday. All my troubles seemed so far away.
Now it looks as though they're here to stay.
Oh, I believe in yesterday.
snackdaddy
Who's your snackdaddy?
- Joined
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- Charlie
Not to mention if Kupp makes that catch at the end a young unproven QB woulda had a game winning TD drive against a playoff caliber defense.
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- Peter
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- #87
View: https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1068328763690283008
Rams win 42-17
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Thats generous. So youre giving the defense two TDs? Because our pathetic offense isnt going to score them.
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I think they'll score two garbage time touchdowns, Stafford is good at that.
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all LIONS fans to Matt StatsFFORD...
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This game is a part of the Rams five-week-bye
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Suh and Darnold are gonna try to each get double digit sacks.
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Challenges? You bout to get blown up!
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https://247sports.com/nfl/detroit-l...game-plan-Let-the-ST-Show-commence-125584399/
Rams game plan .....Let the S**T Show commence
KJ no practice today, I can't see him playing . The plan .....Stop Kenny Golladay ....That's it . We have nothing else .....What can we possibly do to put up the 30+ needed to have a chance in this game .......It will surely be Matt's fault when the passing chart has less then 6.0 air yards per attempt as Stafford will have no time ......This is going to be awful .
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Weirdly this team has shown up against some of the really good teams, but been crap against most everyone else. Do I expect to lose? Yes. Will I be surprised if we come out and are competitive? No.
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This will be a game like the Jets game. The Lions will get the doors blown off them
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Yep .... it's going to be ugly.
Donald, Suh and company are going to destroy our OL. I say sit Stafford and start that young mobile back-up we have .... oh wait ... put in Cassel ... lol
I hope they have the ambulance close by.
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Blow out city
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No one sips the Blue Kool-Aid as much as me .....it's been a long time , years in fact that I have felt this way about a game . I see no way in hell we compete in this one . We have shown up against the better teams this year but our cupboard is bare , crumbs at best . If KJ played I would give us a chance with Theo and KJ and a quick short passing attack up tempo but not now .
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Although it may seem unlikely, I do think we will give the Rams a run for their money. They will probably pull away at some point but I don’t think our guys will let them blow us out
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Somehow Vegas has the line as ONLY +10 dogs. If I could I'd bet so much on Rams to cover that. Only good thing.....I have Goff on my best money league
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I fully expect to lose Big this weekend.
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Just curious, which bet is the more sure thing....
Suh gets at least one roughing call
Or
Stafford throws 1.5 TDs
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- #88
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/12/01/nfl-rams-lions-week-13-preview-analysis/
Rams Week 13 preview: 5 questions with Lions Wire
By: Cameron DaSilva
We previewed the upcoming matchup with Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire, who was kind enough to answer five questions about Detroit and its chances of winning this weekend’s game.
Everyone knows about Kenny Golladay, but who else poses a threat on offense for Detroit?
Uh, hmm … with Jones now on IR, Taint in Philadelphia and Kerryon Johnson unlikely to play with his sprained knee, there isn’t much left. LeGarrette Blount played great on Thanksgiving but had 16 yards on 21 carries (yes, that’s not a misprint) in the four games before that. Bruce Ellington reliably catches the ball but averages under nine yards per reception. Detroit has the worst receiving tight end situation in the NFL.
Is Ezekiel Ansah still someone the Rams should worry about on the edge?
Yes, he is. Since he’s come back from his latest shoulder injury, he’s been very effective. His power is back. Ansah is at his best when he blasts into the blocker and gives himself a two-way go. He couldn’t do that with his various shoulder injuries the past couple of seasons but he’s doing it again now. They don’t play together often, but he and rookie DE Da’Shawn Hand can cause problems together.
What’s an area of the Lions defense the Rams can exploit?
Any CB not named Darius Slay, and what makes it harder is that Slay isn’t having his best year either. Nevin Lawson is the master of the “close but no cigar” coverage play and he lacks long speed. Deshawn Shead is slow to react to the action. Teez Tabor has earned his spot as PFF’s worst defensive player in the NFL and was a healthy scratch last week. Undrafted rookie Mike Ford at least plays hard but he’s raw. Safety Glover Quin has lost at least one step and can’t give the help anymore, either.
How have the Lions allowed just 148 rushing yards the past three weeks? What’s been the biggest factor?
Damon Harrison is what happened. It’s impossible to overstate how great he’s been in the middle of the Lions defense. His presence restores order to the depth chart, too. It has brought out the best in the rookie Hand and allows A’Shawn Robinson to get more favorable matchups. Safety Quandre Diggs is the team’s best tackler and he’s been more active of late too.
What’s your prediction for Sunday?
The Lions tend to play up to better competition. They did smoke the Patriots on national television earlier this year and just beat the Panthers two weeks ago. I expect they’ll show well, especially on defense. But they don’t have the weaponry or offensive creativity to keep up with the Rams. I suspect Los Angeles fans will come away feeling like their team should have played better despite picking up a 10-point road win.
Rams Week 13 preview: 5 questions with Lions Wire
By: Cameron DaSilva
We previewed the upcoming matchup with Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire, who was kind enough to answer five questions about Detroit and its chances of winning this weekend’s game.
Everyone knows about Kenny Golladay, but who else poses a threat on offense for Detroit?
Uh, hmm … with Jones now on IR, Taint in Philadelphia and Kerryon Johnson unlikely to play with his sprained knee, there isn’t much left. LeGarrette Blount played great on Thanksgiving but had 16 yards on 21 carries (yes, that’s not a misprint) in the four games before that. Bruce Ellington reliably catches the ball but averages under nine yards per reception. Detroit has the worst receiving tight end situation in the NFL.
Is Ezekiel Ansah still someone the Rams should worry about on the edge?
Yes, he is. Since he’s come back from his latest shoulder injury, he’s been very effective. His power is back. Ansah is at his best when he blasts into the blocker and gives himself a two-way go. He couldn’t do that with his various shoulder injuries the past couple of seasons but he’s doing it again now. They don’t play together often, but he and rookie DE Da’Shawn Hand can cause problems together.
What’s an area of the Lions defense the Rams can exploit?
Any CB not named Darius Slay, and what makes it harder is that Slay isn’t having his best year either. Nevin Lawson is the master of the “close but no cigar” coverage play and he lacks long speed. Deshawn Shead is slow to react to the action. Teez Tabor has earned his spot as PFF’s worst defensive player in the NFL and was a healthy scratch last week. Undrafted rookie Mike Ford at least plays hard but he’s raw. Safety Glover Quin has lost at least one step and can’t give the help anymore, either.
How have the Lions allowed just 148 rushing yards the past three weeks? What’s been the biggest factor?
Damon Harrison is what happened. It’s impossible to overstate how great he’s been in the middle of the Lions defense. His presence restores order to the depth chart, too. It has brought out the best in the rookie Hand and allows A’Shawn Robinson to get more favorable matchups. Safety Quandre Diggs is the team’s best tackler and he’s been more active of late too.
What’s your prediction for Sunday?
The Lions tend to play up to better competition. They did smoke the Patriots on national television earlier this year and just beat the Panthers two weeks ago. I expect they’ll show well, especially on defense. But they don’t have the weaponry or offensive creativity to keep up with the Rams. I suspect Los Angeles fans will come away feeling like their team should have played better despite picking up a 10-point road win.
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- Feb 9, 2014
- Messages
- 20,922
- Name
- Peter
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #89
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018...st-rams-preview-sean-mcvay-more-like-mcdreamy
How did the Los Angeles Rams turn around the franchise on a dime?
This week’s preview podcast is full of envy.
By Jeremy Reisman
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62601034/1060372660.jpg.0.jpg)
Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images
It’s the week we’ve been been dreading since the NFL schedule came out. The Los Angeles Rams are coming to town on Sunday and they’re bringing their offense that has been going all [INSERT “GAME OF THRONES” REFERENCE HERE] on opposing defenses all season.
The Detroit Lions have managed to pull off some surprising upsets this year, but is there any chance they take down the 10-1 Rams this year?
We needed to see things from the opposition’s perspective, so we pulled in Joseph McAtee from Turf Show Times—better known as “3k_”—to help us break down the Week 13 matchup. Though, mostly, we just talk about how jealous we are of the Rams offense, Sean McVay, and the ability of that franchise to turn things around almost immediately.
This week on First Byte:
Thing with McVay that bothers me in regards to Lions
During the head coaching search that netted Caldwell , the preferred requirement of previous head coaching experience would mean lions wouldn’t even bother interviewing a guy like him.
It just seems problematic as a requirement since we know there have been GREAT coaches given their first opportunity and found success quickly.
That bugged me since you can’t really interview people for head coach position when you already have one … so why not look at up and comers and established ones ?
You don’t want to miss the next bill walsh …
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Single biggest reason for Rams rapid turnaround is without a doubt McVay & to a lesser extent Wade.
McVay, Wade & GM Snead have made excellent personnel/player decisions with very few exceptions. Excellent FA, trade & draft acquisitions & decisions. Great coaching by McVay. He is very charismatic & players love him & respect him.
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But the only answer is jettisoning Jeff Fisher. McVay is great, but virtually anybody would have been an upgrade.
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I am Jealous
They have Sean Mcvay but not about their short term outlook on roster building they have shoved all their chips in the middle for this year and it will come back to bite them and take alot longer to recover from having guys leave that they can not afford to resign and less draft capital guess we will see how much Wizard Mcvay is with alot less talent to work with starting next year.
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*with two straight NFC Wesr titles
And about 32 straight games of exciting football.
Football is simple yet so complicated – talent , scheme , opportunity.
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The Rams should be looking at Philly for a taste of what their future could hold
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McVay & Snead will find a way to reload. They R very smart. Just watch & see.
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Yeah, but even the biggest genius can't re-load everything
If there are too many holes at once, they won’t all be filled.
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By then they are over the transitional culture change
And the systems are fully implemented and a winning attitude …
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As long as they dont do what the eagles are
They’ll be fine with it. They’ll hurt down the road but if they win a super bowl I’m sure that’ll dry those tears right up. I know I’d be happy with that.
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honestly they had so many years of bad coaching and decent drafts he walked into a gold mine. Same can be said for the next coach of the Browns. The only reasons the Lions did see this when they got Stafford, Suh and Megatron is the rookie salary cap was so crazy out of control it wrecked the team to do anything else.’
Plus Fisher sucks.
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It’s way easier now to rebuild a crap team than it was before the rookie salary structure
Leave it to the Lions to be bad at EXACTLY the wrong time
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There were some good draft choices by Fisher & co, but many bad ones too.
McVay & co got rid of a lot of bad players & replaced them with very good players, via trades, draft & FA.
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Snead had 4-5 losing seasons before McVay
That isn’t quick by any stretch of the imagination.
Just because the last 2 years were good doesn’t make the many years of terrible results and high draft picks part of this process.
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Easy
By not hiring a longtime chum and thinking a close friend and personal crony would know how to run a team!
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Free agents wanting to live in LA helps
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It really is crazy
How is this even possible? The way this guy just seemed to hit the ground running? How did Dick Vermeil do it in 1999? Went from 1-15 to the greatest show on turf?? How are the Bears doing it? How in the hell is Bellichick doing it every single freaking year? These all seem to be wildly different guys. The coach is a piece of the puzzle, but I think there’s a lot more to it.
It seems like any time the Lions get it together, the refs start knocking them down. It’s really nearly as incredible as these other teams’ success. How can this organization, ultimately fail absolutely every year? I don’t get it. Really nice fans. Good people. WTF?
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They mortgaged their future
That’s how. They had like no picks in the 2018 draft, and they don’t have 2nd or 3rd round picks in 2019, and they don’t have a 3rd round pick in 2020. They better win, or else they’re going back to irrelevance with nothing to show for it.
How did the Los Angeles Rams turn around the franchise on a dime?
This week’s preview podcast is full of envy.
By Jeremy Reisman
Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images
It’s the week we’ve been been dreading since the NFL schedule came out. The Los Angeles Rams are coming to town on Sunday and they’re bringing their offense that has been going all [INSERT “GAME OF THRONES” REFERENCE HERE] on opposing defenses all season.
The Detroit Lions have managed to pull off some surprising upsets this year, but is there any chance they take down the 10-1 Rams this year?
We needed to see things from the opposition’s perspective, so we pulled in Joseph McAtee from Turf Show Times—better known as “3k_”—to help us break down the Week 13 matchup. Though, mostly, we just talk about how jealous we are of the Rams offense, Sean McVay, and the ability of that franchise to turn things around almost immediately.
This week on First Byte:
- Is Sean McVay a wizard? How does a team go from the worst offense to the best in a single year? Joseph helps break down how special of a coach McVay is.
- How were the Rams able to be so aggressive this offseason? Are they all-in for this year, or is the future bright as well?
- The Rams defense isn’t very good. How can that be? Ndamukong Suh, Aaron Donald. Why isn’t it all coming together?
- Los Angeles is allowing 5.2 yards per carry on defense. Does it even matter? Why aren’t more teams taking advantage of this.
- Can we have Shane Waldron? Joseph gives us the rundown on the Rams’ passing game coordinator and if he’s the reason for any of the offense’s success or if it’s all McVay.
- Joseph gives us the blueprint to slowing down the Rams offense: Enter a HEALTHY(!!!) Ezekiel Ansah.
- Ryan and Joseph predict pain, so Jeremy steps in and sets the record straight.
Thing with McVay that bothers me in regards to Lions
During the head coaching search that netted Caldwell , the preferred requirement of previous head coaching experience would mean lions wouldn’t even bother interviewing a guy like him.
It just seems problematic as a requirement since we know there have been GREAT coaches given their first opportunity and found success quickly.
That bugged me since you can’t really interview people for head coach position when you already have one … so why not look at up and comers and established ones ?
You don’t want to miss the next bill walsh …
-------------
Single biggest reason for Rams rapid turnaround is without a doubt McVay & to a lesser extent Wade.
McVay, Wade & GM Snead have made excellent personnel/player decisions with very few exceptions. Excellent FA, trade & draft acquisitions & decisions. Great coaching by McVay. He is very charismatic & players love him & respect him.
----------
But the only answer is jettisoning Jeff Fisher. McVay is great, but virtually anybody would have been an upgrade.
----------
I am Jealous
They have Sean Mcvay but not about their short term outlook on roster building they have shoved all their chips in the middle for this year and it will come back to bite them and take alot longer to recover from having guys leave that they can not afford to resign and less draft capital guess we will see how much Wizard Mcvay is with alot less talent to work with starting next year.
-----------
*with two straight NFC Wesr titles
And about 32 straight games of exciting football.
Football is simple yet so complicated – talent , scheme , opportunity.
-----------
The Rams should be looking at Philly for a taste of what their future could hold
----------
McVay & Snead will find a way to reload. They R very smart. Just watch & see.
-----------
Yeah, but even the biggest genius can't re-load everything
If there are too many holes at once, they won’t all be filled.
-------------
By then they are over the transitional culture change
And the systems are fully implemented and a winning attitude …
-------------
As long as they dont do what the eagles are
They’ll be fine with it. They’ll hurt down the road but if they win a super bowl I’m sure that’ll dry those tears right up. I know I’d be happy with that.
------------
honestly they had so many years of bad coaching and decent drafts he walked into a gold mine. Same can be said for the next coach of the Browns. The only reasons the Lions did see this when they got Stafford, Suh and Megatron is the rookie salary cap was so crazy out of control it wrecked the team to do anything else.’
Plus Fisher sucks.
------------
It’s way easier now to rebuild a crap team than it was before the rookie salary structure
Leave it to the Lions to be bad at EXACTLY the wrong time
-----------
There were some good draft choices by Fisher & co, but many bad ones too.
McVay & co got rid of a lot of bad players & replaced them with very good players, via trades, draft & FA.
-------------
Snead had 4-5 losing seasons before McVay
That isn’t quick by any stretch of the imagination.
Just because the last 2 years were good doesn’t make the many years of terrible results and high draft picks part of this process.
----------
Easy
By not hiring a longtime chum and thinking a close friend and personal crony would know how to run a team!
-----------
Free agents wanting to live in LA helps
-----------
It really is crazy
How is this even possible? The way this guy just seemed to hit the ground running? How did Dick Vermeil do it in 1999? Went from 1-15 to the greatest show on turf?? How are the Bears doing it? How in the hell is Bellichick doing it every single freaking year? These all seem to be wildly different guys. The coach is a piece of the puzzle, but I think there’s a lot more to it.
It seems like any time the Lions get it together, the refs start knocking them down. It’s really nearly as incredible as these other teams’ success. How can this organization, ultimately fail absolutely every year? I don’t get it. Really nice fans. Good people. WTF?
-------------
They mortgaged their future
That’s how. They had like no picks in the 2018 draft, and they don’t have 2nd or 3rd round picks in 2019, and they don’t have a 3rd round pick in 2020. They better win, or else they’re going back to irrelevance with nothing to show for it.
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2016
- Messages
- 1,994
fearsomefour
Legend
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2013
- Messages
- 17,178
They hired a forward looking coach that can attract players.https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018...st-rams-preview-sean-mcvay-more-like-mcdreamy
How did the Los Angeles Rams turn around the franchise on a dime?
This week’s preview podcast is full of envy.
By Jeremy Reisman
Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images
It’s the week we’ve been been dreading since the NFL schedule came out. The Los Angeles Rams are coming to town on Sunday and they’re bringing their offense that has been going all [INSERT “GAME OF THRONES” REFERENCE HERE] on opposing defenses all season.
The Detroit Lions have managed to pull off some surprising upsets this year, but is there any chance they take down the 10-1 Rams this year?
We needed to see things from the opposition’s perspective, so we pulled in Joseph McAtee from Turf Show Times—better known as “3k_”—to help us break down the Week 13 matchup. Though, mostly, we just talk about how jealous we are of the Rams offense, Sean McVay, and the ability of that franchise to turn things around almost immediately.
This week on First Byte:
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- Is Sean McVay a wizard? How does a team go from the worst offense to the best in a single year? Joseph helps break down how special of a coach McVay is.
- How were the Rams able to be so aggressive this offseason? Are they all-in for this year, or is the future bright as well?
- The Rams defense isn’t very good. How can that be? Ndamukong Suh, Aaron Donald. Why isn’t it all coming together?
- Los Angeles is allowing 5.2 yards per carry on defense. Does it even matter? Why aren’t more teams taking advantage of this.
- Can we have Shane Waldron? Joseph gives us the rundown on the Rams’ passing game coordinator and if he’s the reason for any of the offense’s success or if it’s all McVay.
- Joseph gives us the blueprint to slowing down the Rams offense: Enter a HEALTHY(!!!) Ezekiel Ansah.
- Ryan and Joseph predict pain, so Jeremy steps in and sets the record straight.
Thing with McVay that bothers me in regards to Lions
During the head coaching search that netted Caldwell , the preferred requirement of previous head coaching experience would mean lions wouldn’t even bother interviewing a guy like him.
It just seems problematic as a requirement since we know there have been GREAT coaches given their first opportunity and found success quickly.
That bugged me since you can’t really interview people for head coach position when you already have one … so why not look at up and comers and established ones ?
You don’t want to miss the next bill walsh …
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Single biggest reason for Rams rapid turnaround is without a doubt McVay & to a lesser extent Wade.
McVay, Wade & GM Snead have made excellent personnel/player decisions with very few exceptions. Excellent FA, trade & draft acquisitions & decisions. Great coaching by McVay. He is very charismatic & players love him & respect him.
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But the only answer is jettisoning Jeff Fisher. McVay is great, but virtually anybody would have been an upgrade.
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I am Jealous
They have Sean Mcvay but not about their short term outlook on roster building they have shoved all their chips in the middle for this year and it will come back to bite them and take alot longer to recover from having guys leave that they can not afford to resign and less draft capital guess we will see how much Wizard Mcvay is with alot less talent to work with starting next year.
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*with two straight NFC Wesr titles
And about 32 straight games of exciting football.
Football is simple yet so complicated – talent , scheme , opportunity.
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The Rams should be looking at Philly for a taste of what their future could hold
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McVay & Snead will find a way to reload. They R very smart. Just watch & see.
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Yeah, but even the biggest genius can't re-load everything
If there are too many holes at once, they won’t all be filled.
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By then they are over the transitional culture change
And the systems are fully implemented and a winning attitude …
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As long as they dont do what the eagles are
They’ll be fine with it. They’ll hurt down the road but if they win a super bowl I’m sure that’ll dry those tears right up. I know I’d be happy with that.
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honestly they had so many years of bad coaching and decent drafts he walked into a gold mine. Same can be said for the next coach of the Browns. The only reasons the Lions did see this when they got Stafford, Suh and Megatron is the rookie salary cap was so crazy out of control it wrecked the team to do anything else.’
Plus Fisher sucks.
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It’s way easier now to rebuild a crap team than it was before the rookie salary structure
Leave it to the Lions to be bad at EXACTLY the wrong time
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There were some good draft choices by Fisher & co, but many bad ones too.
McVay & co got rid of a lot of bad players & replaced them with very good players, via trades, draft & FA.
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Snead had 4-5 losing seasons before McVay
That isn’t quick by any stretch of the imagination.
Just because the last 2 years were good doesn’t make the many years of terrible results and high draft picks part of this process.
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Easy
By not hiring a longtime chum and thinking a close friend and personal crony would know how to run a team!
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Free agents wanting to live in LA helps
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It really is crazy
How is this even possible? The way this guy just seemed to hit the ground running? How did Dick Vermeil do it in 1999? Went from 1-15 to the greatest show on turf?? How are the Bears doing it? How in the hell is Bellichick doing it every single freaking year? These all seem to be wildly different guys. The coach is a piece of the puzzle, but I think there’s a lot more to it.
It seems like any time the Lions get it together, the refs start knocking them down. It’s really nearly as incredible as these other teams’ success. How can this organization, ultimately fail absolutely every year? I don’t get it. Really nice fans. Good people. WTF?
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They mortgaged their future
That’s how. They had like no picks in the 2018 draft, and they don’t have 2nd or 3rd round picks in 2019, and they don’t have a 3rd round pick in 2020. They better win, or else they’re going back to irrelevance with nothing to show for it.
It was not a turn around on a dime.
It did start with Fisher and some of the players he brought in. The current approach of managing the cap started while he was with the Rams as well. A writer stating it happened "on a dime" is over simplified and ignorant.
I would disagree about the Rams mortgaging the future as well.
The Rams have a first and likely two third round picks (due to Johnson and Watkins compensation) in this up coming draft.
One would be foolish to assume the Raiders have a golden future because of their stock pile of first round picks. Any team looking for sustained success still has to hit on their picks. Without a first and second the Rams landed Noteboom in the third. He looks promising. That pick, landing a potential starting LT in a draft without a first or second round pick, goes a long long way toward sustained success.
Also, the Rams did not trade for 35 year old former Pro Bowlers. The guys they added via trade are young players who may end up being long time starters with the Rams.
So, as always, above all else it comes down to the draft. The Rams have young talent at many key positions however.
I think the Rams future looks bright as heck.
shovelpass
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It's baffling how many opposing fans still believe this bs narrative. Our core players are locked up, and I'm sure there is a plan in place for guys on their rookie contracts. A lot of the bigger name players either aren't living up to their status or probably won't be in the league much longer so there's no need to secure them longterm or for a high amount. People can call out the media and journalism but it's fans like this that gobble up their garbage. Even the slightest bit of research would dispel this idea.
Ram65
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Stafford having a down year and now without most of his weapons.
Stafford's game seem bipolar. He makes some great passes then makes some really bad passes. He is a quarterback that took them from really bad to being average. Another tough spot paying big money to a QB that has been up and down. Hard to figure out what they should do for the future.
Rams better come out ready to go and not look rusty. Lions have nothing to lose and should play relaxed.
Stafford's game seem bipolar. He makes some great passes then makes some really bad passes. He is a quarterback that took them from really bad to being average. Another tough spot paying big money to a QB that has been up and down. Hard to figure out what they should do for the future.
Rams better come out ready to go and not look rusty. Lions have nothing to lose and should play relaxed.
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018...e-streaming-tv-schedule-kickoff-time#comments
How to watch Lions-Rams
With hands over face and eyes peering from between fingers like you’re watching a horror show that it will be.
It would be like Detroit to win this game tho. Keeping in the tradition of winning the games they’re supposed to lose and losing to teams they should beat. In all my years I have not been able to figure them out. They are such a bi polar team. It will be hard to pull it off a win without some of our pieces in play tho.
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018/12/1/18120886/los-angeles-rams-key-player-week-13-detroit-lions
Which Rams player scares you the most?
By Jeremy Reisman
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62606365/usa_today_11307368.0.jpg)
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
To be a good team in the NFL, sometimes you just need a single player who is such a transformative talent that he can carry the rest of the roster to at least 10 or 11 wins. The Green Bay Packers have been doing it for years with Aaron Rodgers, and it seems like that well is finally drying up.
But to be one of the best in the league, you have to be able to threaten your opponent with a multi-front attack. It helps if you’re dangerous on both sides of the ball, but sometimes if just one unit is dynamic enough, that can be sufficient to consistently tally wins.
The Los Angeles Rams certainly fall into that latter category. Their defense, at best, is average—though they have some playmakers. Their offense is otherworldly. Not only is their scheme advanced and innovative, but head coach Sean McVay has managed to find the perfect personnel to complement the scheme. So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Rams player scares you the most for Sunday’s game?
My answer: Aaron Donald.
Come on, you didn’t think I was going to say anyone else, did you?
The Rams’ offense is certainly going to have their way with the Lions defense, but there isn’t one particular player that poses a unique threat to Detroit... they all do. No, the real threat comes when Detroit tries to play keep-up with the Rams, and Donald is the man that will stand in Matthew Stafford’s way.
Donald has three more sacks than anyone else in the NFL (14.5) and he’s tallied 10.5 of those sacks in the past five weeks. He’s on an absolute tear, and he’ll likely be lined up over Lions backup guard Kenny Wiggins for much of the game.
Obviously, the Lions know Donald is nearly impossible to block, so they’ll likely offer Wiggins some help on Sunday. Unfortunately, that could open up opportunities for Ndamukong Suh, who may have a little extra motivation this week playing against his former team for the first time ever.
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Suh
Because he’s a dirty player and wound intentionally hurt another player (like Stafford).
I have no ill-conceived notions that the Lions will win this game. I just want everyone to get through healthy. Suh is the kind of guy who would blow out someone’s knee in a meaningless game because he used to play for them, just to be a prick.
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Overall Aaron Donald scares me the most but for this game in general it's suh
Only because I could see him getting a 15-yard penalty or two in this game with some late hits and cheap shots on Stafford I don’t want to see Stafford get hurt so that’s what scares me the most
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So much talent it's hard to pick
Currently debating between John Franklin-Myers and Marqui Christian
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Rams are just a team
the rams aren’t going to respect the lions, to win the lions are going to catch them on the wrong day and beat them even if its a last second field goal
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McVay’s been a HC in the league for less than 2 years. He’s looking like an excellent coach, but even Belichick gives up surprise losses. I think it’s silly to assume McVay is totally immune to that. I would be extremely surprised if that didn’t happen eventually. That said, will it happen this week? I very much doubt it. Lions defense is crap and the offense is hobbled by injury.
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I always thought Suh's intention to hurt people was overblown
Yeah he did some cheap stuff, but IIRC he never actually hurt anybody while he was in Detroit. Everybody remembers the stomp and the nut shot, but neither Shaubb not EDS missed even a single snap.
The only one I remember is Cutler (kinda ironic given Suh’s recent comments) missed a couple snaps because of a Suh play, but I think that was a legal hit anyway.
Truth is, I didn’t even think Suh was the dirtiest player on our team when he was here. I thought Kyle Van Den Bosch and Nick Fairley were both worse. (Speaking of KVB, did anybody pick up his legacy and start wearing red contacts?)
I think the Lions will do their best to scheme around the Rams DL as we saw with the 2nd Chicago game. So, I’m actually most afraid of Gurley.
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I think Suh wants to inflict punishment when he’s playing
And it’s hard to determine if that’s actually dirty.
Like you mention , his dirtiest plays weren’t going to inflict a lot of "injury"
As much as his legal hair tackle of a running back , blasting Vick on the sidelines ( see my avatar ) or the legal forearm on cutler.
He’s scary though. I could see him wanting to make a splash vs Detroit.
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Not Goff?
interesting.
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Cooks before Goff
But you make a good point. Our pass D is not…. it’s not good. But I think Gurley can take away what the Lions defense has been doing relatively well and when that happens, the wheels fall off. That’s why I said him.
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Georgia been RB University the last few years
but im telling you that Goff is a legit MVP candidate. hes just not flashy and doesnt say ANYTHING against the grain so hes hard to make news from. news so unbelievably Average looking/sounding that it hides how amazing of a QB he is.
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All of them scare me
If you stop cooks and woods, you have to contend with Gurley. You stop Gurley then the no name tight ends can burn you for long tds. I haven’t even mentioned the defensive tackle we should have drafted and the defensive tackle we did draft both on the field at the same time looking to crush Stafford!
And if all that wasn’t enough, mad scientist McVay calling their offense vs whatever nonsense cooter plans on throwing at their d is the scariest to me.
How to watch Lions-Rams
With hands over face and eyes peering from between fingers like you’re watching a horror show that it will be.
It would be like Detroit to win this game tho. Keeping in the tradition of winning the games they’re supposed to lose and losing to teams they should beat. In all my years I have not been able to figure them out. They are such a bi polar team. It will be hard to pull it off a win without some of our pieces in play tho.
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018/12/1/18120886/los-angeles-rams-key-player-week-13-detroit-lions
Which Rams player scares you the most?
By Jeremy Reisman
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
To be a good team in the NFL, sometimes you just need a single player who is such a transformative talent that he can carry the rest of the roster to at least 10 or 11 wins. The Green Bay Packers have been doing it for years with Aaron Rodgers, and it seems like that well is finally drying up.
But to be one of the best in the league, you have to be able to threaten your opponent with a multi-front attack. It helps if you’re dangerous on both sides of the ball, but sometimes if just one unit is dynamic enough, that can be sufficient to consistently tally wins.
The Los Angeles Rams certainly fall into that latter category. Their defense, at best, is average—though they have some playmakers. Their offense is otherworldly. Not only is their scheme advanced and innovative, but head coach Sean McVay has managed to find the perfect personnel to complement the scheme. So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Rams player scares you the most for Sunday’s game?
My answer: Aaron Donald.
Come on, you didn’t think I was going to say anyone else, did you?
The Rams’ offense is certainly going to have their way with the Lions defense, but there isn’t one particular player that poses a unique threat to Detroit... they all do. No, the real threat comes when Detroit tries to play keep-up with the Rams, and Donald is the man that will stand in Matthew Stafford’s way.
Donald has three more sacks than anyone else in the NFL (14.5) and he’s tallied 10.5 of those sacks in the past five weeks. He’s on an absolute tear, and he’ll likely be lined up over Lions backup guard Kenny Wiggins for much of the game.
Obviously, the Lions know Donald is nearly impossible to block, so they’ll likely offer Wiggins some help on Sunday. Unfortunately, that could open up opportunities for Ndamukong Suh, who may have a little extra motivation this week playing against his former team for the first time ever.
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Suh
Because he’s a dirty player and wound intentionally hurt another player (like Stafford).
I have no ill-conceived notions that the Lions will win this game. I just want everyone to get through healthy. Suh is the kind of guy who would blow out someone’s knee in a meaningless game because he used to play for them, just to be a prick.
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Overall Aaron Donald scares me the most but for this game in general it's suh
Only because I could see him getting a 15-yard penalty or two in this game with some late hits and cheap shots on Stafford I don’t want to see Stafford get hurt so that’s what scares me the most
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So much talent it's hard to pick
Currently debating between John Franklin-Myers and Marqui Christian
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Rams are just a team
the rams aren’t going to respect the lions, to win the lions are going to catch them on the wrong day and beat them even if its a last second field goal
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McVay’s been a HC in the league for less than 2 years. He’s looking like an excellent coach, but even Belichick gives up surprise losses. I think it’s silly to assume McVay is totally immune to that. I would be extremely surprised if that didn’t happen eventually. That said, will it happen this week? I very much doubt it. Lions defense is crap and the offense is hobbled by injury.
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I always thought Suh's intention to hurt people was overblown
Yeah he did some cheap stuff, but IIRC he never actually hurt anybody while he was in Detroit. Everybody remembers the stomp and the nut shot, but neither Shaubb not EDS missed even a single snap.
The only one I remember is Cutler (kinda ironic given Suh’s recent comments) missed a couple snaps because of a Suh play, but I think that was a legal hit anyway.
Truth is, I didn’t even think Suh was the dirtiest player on our team when he was here. I thought Kyle Van Den Bosch and Nick Fairley were both worse. (Speaking of KVB, did anybody pick up his legacy and start wearing red contacts?)
I think the Lions will do their best to scheme around the Rams DL as we saw with the 2nd Chicago game. So, I’m actually most afraid of Gurley.
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I think Suh wants to inflict punishment when he’s playing
And it’s hard to determine if that’s actually dirty.
Like you mention , his dirtiest plays weren’t going to inflict a lot of "injury"
As much as his legal hair tackle of a running back , blasting Vick on the sidelines ( see my avatar ) or the legal forearm on cutler.
He’s scary though. I could see him wanting to make a splash vs Detroit.
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Not Goff?
interesting.
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Cooks before Goff
But you make a good point. Our pass D is not…. it’s not good. But I think Gurley can take away what the Lions defense has been doing relatively well and when that happens, the wheels fall off. That’s why I said him.
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Georgia been RB University the last few years
but im telling you that Goff is a legit MVP candidate. hes just not flashy and doesnt say ANYTHING against the grain so hes hard to make news from. news so unbelievably Average looking/sounding that it hides how amazing of a QB he is.
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All of them scare me
If you stop cooks and woods, you have to contend with Gurley. You stop Gurley then the no name tight ends can burn you for long tds. I haven’t even mentioned the defensive tackle we should have drafted and the defensive tackle we did draft both on the field at the same time looking to crush Stafford!
And if all that wasn’t enough, mad scientist McVay calling their offense vs whatever nonsense cooter plans on throwing at their d is the scariest to me.
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Of the teams we’ve played these fans have the lowest confidence. LOL.
wmc540
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018...ions-los-angeles-rams-preview-scouting-report
Lions have little firepower to compete with Rams offense
Everything you need to know for Rams vs. Lions Week 13.
By Justin Simon
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62600666/usa_today_11700998.0.jpg)
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It feels like the only shot the Detroit Lions have on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams is to win a shootout. But after placing Marvin Jones Jr. on injured reserve this week, losing Kerryon Johnson to a knee injury, and trading away Golden Taint, the Lions have little firepower to compete with the Rams offense.
What could have been one of the better offenses on paper before the season, just hasn’t worked out for the Lions.
Unfortunately, the Lions will probably spend the beginning of their offseason looking for someone to recharge the offense and will begin to rebuild that side of the ball.
This game may do nothing but leave Lions fans dreaming of someone who can come in and turn around the Lions as Sean McVay has done with the Rams.
Opponent snapshot
The Los Angeles Rams’ come to Detroit with a 10-1 record. With a win, they can clinch first place in the NFC West two years in a row. Todd Gurley is second in the NFL in rushing with 1,043 yards and leads the league with 13 TDs. And Aaron Donald is the NFL’s top sack leader with 14.5 through 11 games.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13591022/usa_today_11649215.jpg)
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Rams’ biggest threat
Todd Gurley
Make no mistake, the Rams high-flying offense goes through Todd Gurley. Although he’s coming off an injury, Rams coach Sean McVay says he should be good to go on Sunday.
“He’s feeling good. Really, when I said that he had tweaked it a little bit, that was more of a result of some of the things that happened early,” McVay said on Monday. “Todd continued to push through, did a great job.
I thought he made a real big impact in some of the screens and different things later on and then had a couple tough, physical runs that ended up influencing the outcome of the game in a positive way for us. He’s feeling good. I think the bye week served him really well and he’s a tough player. We expect him to be ready to go and 100 percent.”
Gurley is no doubt an effective runner, but he also is vital to the Rams passing game. So far this season he’s had 43 receptions for 441 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the type of player that can take a simple screen pass and completely flip the field.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1045501195840774144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1045501195840774144&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prideofdetroit.com%2F2018%2F11%2F30%2F18119081%2Fdetroit-lions-los-angeles-rams-preview-scouting-report
Rams’ weak link
Defense
If there is one thing standing in the way of the Rams’ Super Bowl hopes and dreams, it’s their defense.
That may seem hard to believe with stars all across the field, but the numbers tell a different story:
Bottom line
I could see how some might see this as a trap game for the Rams. They’re coming off their bye week, traveling across country, and playing a below .500 team. But none of that will matter. The Rams will breeze into their 11th win of the season.
Prediction
Rams 34 Lions 17
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I'd like to believe we have lesser, but somewhat comparable talent.
We just don’t have the schemes and playcalling they do.
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34-17 will be the score at halftime
This is an easy 50 spot by the Rams. If we’re lucky we’ll get 17 points. Cooter and Patricia get schooled for 3 hours by a PROFESSIONAL football program.
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I think our defense comes to play… But so does there’s. 32 – 10 Rams
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37-16 Rams
LA will score with Defense and of course their offense. Maybe even special teams. Lions May be able to move the bowl but that red zone seems to the dead zone Prater will have to keep his leg loose and warm It will get a lot of use on Sunday
Lions have little firepower to compete with Rams offense
Everything you need to know for Rams vs. Lions Week 13.
By Justin Simon
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It feels like the only shot the Detroit Lions have on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams is to win a shootout. But after placing Marvin Jones Jr. on injured reserve this week, losing Kerryon Johnson to a knee injury, and trading away Golden Taint, the Lions have little firepower to compete with the Rams offense.
What could have been one of the better offenses on paper before the season, just hasn’t worked out for the Lions.
Unfortunately, the Lions will probably spend the beginning of their offseason looking for someone to recharge the offense and will begin to rebuild that side of the ball.
This game may do nothing but leave Lions fans dreaming of someone who can come in and turn around the Lions as Sean McVay has done with the Rams.
Opponent snapshot
The Los Angeles Rams’ come to Detroit with a 10-1 record. With a win, they can clinch first place in the NFC West two years in a row. Todd Gurley is second in the NFL in rushing with 1,043 yards and leads the league with 13 TDs. And Aaron Donald is the NFL’s top sack leader with 14.5 through 11 games.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Rams’ biggest threat
Todd Gurley
Make no mistake, the Rams high-flying offense goes through Todd Gurley. Although he’s coming off an injury, Rams coach Sean McVay says he should be good to go on Sunday.
“He’s feeling good. Really, when I said that he had tweaked it a little bit, that was more of a result of some of the things that happened early,” McVay said on Monday. “Todd continued to push through, did a great job.
I thought he made a real big impact in some of the screens and different things later on and then had a couple tough, physical runs that ended up influencing the outcome of the game in a positive way for us. He’s feeling good. I think the bye week served him really well and he’s a tough player. We expect him to be ready to go and 100 percent.”
Gurley is no doubt an effective runner, but he also is vital to the Rams passing game. So far this season he’s had 43 receptions for 441 yards and four touchdowns. He’s the type of player that can take a simple screen pass and completely flip the field.
View: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1045501195840774144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1045501195840774144&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prideofdetroit.com%2F2018%2F11%2F30%2F18119081%2Fdetroit-lions-los-angeles-rams-preview-scouting-report
Rams’ weak link
Defense
If there is one thing standing in the way of the Rams’ Super Bowl hopes and dreams, it’s their defense.
That may seem hard to believe with stars all across the field, but the numbers tell a different story:
- Opponent passer rating of 101.6 (27th)
- 119.9 rush yards per game (21st)
- 252.6 pass yards per game (19th)
- 8.1 yards per attempt (27th)
- 29 sacks (t-14th)
Bottom line
I could see how some might see this as a trap game for the Rams. They’re coming off their bye week, traveling across country, and playing a below .500 team. But none of that will matter. The Rams will breeze into their 11th win of the season.
Prediction
Rams 34 Lions 17
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I'd like to believe we have lesser, but somewhat comparable talent.
We just don’t have the schemes and playcalling they do.
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34-17 will be the score at halftime
This is an easy 50 spot by the Rams. If we’re lucky we’ll get 17 points. Cooter and Patricia get schooled for 3 hours by a PROFESSIONAL football program.
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I think our defense comes to play… But so does there’s. 32 – 10 Rams
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37-16 Rams
LA will score with Defense and of course their offense. Maybe even special teams. Lions May be able to move the bowl but that red zone seems to the dead zone Prater will have to keep his leg loose and warm It will get a lot of use on Sunday
SoBayRamFan
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Good point but mob feeling is it's very likely the Rams are going to be intensely focused on winning the NFC West on Sunday!
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https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o...-things-the-lions-can-do-to-pull-off-an-upset
Six things the Lions can do to pull off an upset
Mike OHara
Lions-Rams Final Thoughts: Sticking with my pick of the Rams winning, but six things the Lions can do to pull off an upset starting with LeGarrette Blount and Random Thoughts on Ziggy Ansah, Ndamukong Suh, Matthew Stafford and more:
Carries for LeGarrette Blount: A solid contribution from the run game is vital, and Blount has been at his best with the Lions when he’s gotten enough carries to find a rhythm.
Sometimes it’s been slow going – like against the Bears on Thanksgiving Day, when Blount was held to eight yards on five carries in the first half. But he’s also broken out – and he did that against the Bears, with 80 yards on 14 carries in the second half.
Blount has had double digit carries four times this season – 16 for 48 yards in a win over the Patriots; 12 for 22 with two TDs in a win over the Packers; 10 for 50 and a TD in a win over the Dolphins; and 18 for 88 and two TDs in the last game.
The Lions won’t beat the Rams with their running game only with rookie Kerryon Johnson on the sideline. But they need to shorten the game and take away possessions from the Rams’ offense. Blount can do that, and he can deliver in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
“Every running back in this league ... is going to want the rock over the course of the game,” Blount said. “You want to get lathered up. You want to be able to see how they’re playing – how they’re fitting the runs, how they’re playing against certain runs and stuff.
“Whenever you get a chance to get a few in a row and see how they’re doing it, it helps a lot.”
Protect Matthew Stafford: That means blocking defensive tackle Aaron Donald, whose 14.5 sacks represent exactly half of the Rams’ 29 sacks.
Donald can destroy an offense single handedly. He has 10 sacks in the last five games, and he’s playing next to former Lion – and Miami Dolphin – Ndamukong Suh, who has 3.5 sacks and is not a premier interior pass rusher at this stage of a borderline Hall of Fame career.
Even with a depleted receiving corps, if he’s given time Stafford can throw on a Rams pass defense that has given up 25 TD passes, second most in the league, and 8.1 yards per pass attempt, sixth most in the league.
Challenge the Rams: That’s goes for both sides of the ball.
They have dynamic receivers in Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods and a scheme that showcases their skills, but they can’t be allowed to catch passes in front of the secondary all game. Challenge them and it might force mistakes.
Giving Stafford time to throw the ball is one thing. Making the Rams defend the entire field – not just the short zones – is another. Teams don’t have to take away the deep game if the Lions don’t try it. If they do that, they’ve stopped themselves.
Limit Todd Gurley: It’s 1-2 between Gurley and the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott for who’s the top running back in the league, and the Lions already were burned once this year by Elliott in a Week 4 loss.
Gurley can gash a defense running and receiving. He’s rushed for 1,043 yards and 5.0 yards per carry and has 43 catches for 441 yards and a 10.3-yard average.
The Lions’ run defense has been stout since acquiring tackle Damon Harrison in a trade with the Giants, but they haven’t faced a back of Gurley’s ability.
The dilemma for any defense is obvious: Stop the run, and the Rams will throw.
Bye week blahs: The idea of catching the Rams coming off a bye, after a big win against the Chiefs and making a cross-country road trip seems like an important part of the formula for an upset.
In reality ... not so much.
A year ago the Rams took their bye after a 33-0 win over the Cardinals in Week 7. They returned for a road game against the Giants – a 51-17 win. It was 48-10 before the end of the third quarter.
The Giants won the fourth quarter, 7-3. So there’s that.
Breaks, turnovers: Both can change games, and the Lions need both.
Sticking with my pick: The Lions already have pulled a couple upsets – 26-10 over the Patriots, and 31-23 over the Packers. But both of those games were early in the season – Weeks 5 and 7 – before the Lions lost key offensive players and were still in serious contention in the NFC North. It’s a different scenario now.
Prediction: Rams 33, Lions 23.
Six things the Lions can do to pull off an upset
Mike OHara
Lions-Rams Final Thoughts: Sticking with my pick of the Rams winning, but six things the Lions can do to pull off an upset starting with LeGarrette Blount and Random Thoughts on Ziggy Ansah, Ndamukong Suh, Matthew Stafford and more:
Carries for LeGarrette Blount: A solid contribution from the run game is vital, and Blount has been at his best with the Lions when he’s gotten enough carries to find a rhythm.
Sometimes it’s been slow going – like against the Bears on Thanksgiving Day, when Blount was held to eight yards on five carries in the first half. But he’s also broken out – and he did that against the Bears, with 80 yards on 14 carries in the second half.
Blount has had double digit carries four times this season – 16 for 48 yards in a win over the Patriots; 12 for 22 with two TDs in a win over the Packers; 10 for 50 and a TD in a win over the Dolphins; and 18 for 88 and two TDs in the last game.
The Lions won’t beat the Rams with their running game only with rookie Kerryon Johnson on the sideline. But they need to shorten the game and take away possessions from the Rams’ offense. Blount can do that, and he can deliver in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
“Every running back in this league ... is going to want the rock over the course of the game,” Blount said. “You want to get lathered up. You want to be able to see how they’re playing – how they’re fitting the runs, how they’re playing against certain runs and stuff.
“Whenever you get a chance to get a few in a row and see how they’re doing it, it helps a lot.”
Protect Matthew Stafford: That means blocking defensive tackle Aaron Donald, whose 14.5 sacks represent exactly half of the Rams’ 29 sacks.
Donald can destroy an offense single handedly. He has 10 sacks in the last five games, and he’s playing next to former Lion – and Miami Dolphin – Ndamukong Suh, who has 3.5 sacks and is not a premier interior pass rusher at this stage of a borderline Hall of Fame career.
Even with a depleted receiving corps, if he’s given time Stafford can throw on a Rams pass defense that has given up 25 TD passes, second most in the league, and 8.1 yards per pass attempt, sixth most in the league.
Challenge the Rams: That’s goes for both sides of the ball.
They have dynamic receivers in Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods and a scheme that showcases their skills, but they can’t be allowed to catch passes in front of the secondary all game. Challenge them and it might force mistakes.
Giving Stafford time to throw the ball is one thing. Making the Rams defend the entire field – not just the short zones – is another. Teams don’t have to take away the deep game if the Lions don’t try it. If they do that, they’ve stopped themselves.
Limit Todd Gurley: It’s 1-2 between Gurley and the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott for who’s the top running back in the league, and the Lions already were burned once this year by Elliott in a Week 4 loss.
Gurley can gash a defense running and receiving. He’s rushed for 1,043 yards and 5.0 yards per carry and has 43 catches for 441 yards and a 10.3-yard average.
The Lions’ run defense has been stout since acquiring tackle Damon Harrison in a trade with the Giants, but they haven’t faced a back of Gurley’s ability.
The dilemma for any defense is obvious: Stop the run, and the Rams will throw.
Bye week blahs: The idea of catching the Rams coming off a bye, after a big win against the Chiefs and making a cross-country road trip seems like an important part of the formula for an upset.
In reality ... not so much.
A year ago the Rams took their bye after a 33-0 win over the Cardinals in Week 7. They returned for a road game against the Giants – a 51-17 win. It was 48-10 before the end of the third quarter.
The Giants won the fourth quarter, 7-3. So there’s that.
Breaks, turnovers: Both can change games, and the Lions need both.
Sticking with my pick: The Lions already have pulled a couple upsets – 26-10 over the Patriots, and 31-23 over the Packers. But both of those games were early in the season – Weeks 5 and 7 – before the Lions lost key offensive players and were still in serious contention in the NFC North. It’s a different scenario now.
Prediction: Rams 33, Lions 23.
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- #100
Too busy to go through all their threads today but I will post this one. Behold, the dumbest remark I've read on an NFL forum in ages.
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https://247sports.com/nfl/detroit-l...serve-a-professional-football-team-125780006/
LA Doesn’t deserve a professional football team
Just food for thought here. The Rams have back to back division championships first time since the 70’s and only fill their stadium to 72,178 only 77.1 percent capacity. Also you have the Chargers who are also kicking ass only averageing 25,383 only 94 percent WTF you can’t fill that tiny of a stadium. If the Lions were winning I bet we could fill the big house 110,000 easily.
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https://247sports.com/nfl/detroit-l...serve-a-professional-football-team-125780006/
LA Doesn’t deserve a professional football team
Just food for thought here. The Rams have back to back division championships first time since the 70’s and only fill their stadium to 72,178 only 77.1 percent capacity. Also you have the Chargers who are also kicking ass only averageing 25,383 only 94 percent WTF you can’t fill that tiny of a stadium. If the Lions were winning I bet we could fill the big house 110,000 easily.