Didn't realize this at all, but really amazing play by Brock.

Rams Drop Nose Tackle on Final Play Versus Bucs

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

On the final play of the Rams at Buccaneers game last Sunday the Rams dropped shade/nose tackle Michael Brockers and rushed only three players.

Brockers is 6-5 and maybe 320 pounds and he took the third receiver essentially man-to-man to the goalline on the play in question and in doing so made the likely easiest throw impossible for Jameis Winston near impossible.

Winston admitted he should have thrown the ball at the 15-yard line, but it's clear no one is open as Brockers and the other defenders had good coverage on the four Bucs receivers in the pattern.

Winston drifted across the line of scrimmage and was tackled by defensive end Robert Quinn as time expired
Fair Use Claim. Credit: NFL Replay
Login to view embedded media This spy drop by Brockers is not unusual in Gregg Williams's scheme, but in this case it paid high dividends in that it took away one option for Winston. Had Brockers rushed the passer he may have been able to affect the play behind the line of scrimmage, perhaps forcing a throw or not allowing Winston to run the ball for a 10-yard game, but he trailed the the Bucs #3 receiver to the top side to the 2-yard line and prevented a throw then reversed his direction and stayed with that receiver.

Now, this was not a zone blitz where a replacement rusher gave chase to Winston while Brockers covered a short zone for an instant. He had the #3 receiver man-to-man for, essentially. He had the #3 receiver to just past the goalline before that receiver went into the endzone on what was likely his scramble rules and the other deeper defenders picked him up. There may not be another nose tackle in the NFL that could do what Brockers did.

Jeff Fisher on Rams' issues with penalties: 'It doesn't look good'
8:00 AM ET

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  Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer

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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Will Hayes was in the locker room in the early stages of Sunday's second quarter, getting an injured ankle evaluated, when he saw fellow defensive lineman Eugene Sims enter, moments after being thrown out for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"I have to go out there," Hayes said then, as told by Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher late Monday afternoon. "I have to go."

Said Fisher: "There was no way Will should've returned."

The Rams are off to a 2-1 start, but coach Jeff Fisher wants his team to clean up its penalties, especially after having two defensive players ejected from games. Marc Piscotty/Icon Sportswire
The Rams' defensive line came up big once again during a 37-32 win on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, improving the team to 2-1 for the first time in 10 years.

Hayes, one of the Rams' starting defensive ends, is expected to be limited in practice this week and his status for this Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals could be in question. A deeper issue for Fisher is the amount of times his team continues to be penalized. It was a major point of emphasis during training camp, with his Rams among the eight most-penalized teams in the NFL in each of Fisher's previous four seasons as coach.

So far this year?

"It doesn't look good," Fisher said. "We've addressed it, and we'll continue to address it."

The Rams have been hit with the third-most penalty yards, 249, and two of their defensive players have already been ejected from games. It was Aaron Donald in Week 1 and then Sims in Week 3. Fisher wouldn't go into what sparked the unsportsmanlike conduct, which occurred after an extra point attempt, but said Sims was "remorseful" after the game, apologizing to him and his teammates.

"No place for it," Fisher said. "No place for it at all. ... It's going to be addressed [Tuesday]. It falls under that category of the pre-snap and post-snap penalties that you just can't have."

Gurley on his way: Fisher called Todd Gurley's season-long 16-yard run on Sunday "one of the better runs I’ve seen in the last 20 years." Gurley quickly found a hole to his right, exploded to the second level, got tripped up twice, spun around, and managed to stay on his feet for an extra seven yards or so. He scored two touchdowns, but finished the game with 85 yards on 27 carries, falling short of triple-digit rushing yards for the 10th time in his past 11 games.

"If you watch it, he’s really close," Fisher said. "He was even closer than really close. We’re fine there; we’ll be all right. ... The hundred-yard games and those kind of things, they’ll come."

Going for two: The Rams somewhat surprisingly went for a two-point conversion with an 11-point lead and 4:38 remaining. Taking the extra point to go up 12 would've at least forced the Bucs to require two touchdowns, while staying at 11 meant they could tie it with a touchdown, a two-point conversion and a field goal. Here was Fisher's explanation: "We were up by 11, which in my brain is three scores: it’s touchdown, two-point conversion and a field goal. What I want to do is, I want to try to get to 13. ... Because if I got to 13, then that’ll put pressure on their place kicker [Roberto Aguayo] for two scores, because he’d been struggling.”

Gaines closing in: Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines, who has been nursing an ailment in his left thigh since the third preseason game, has a "really good chance" of playing this Sunday, Fisher said. Gaines would replace Troy Hill as the second outside cornerback, opposite Trumaine Johnson. Hill played ahead of Coty Sensabaugh for most of Week 2 and all of Week 3.

Cooper, Spruce update: Rookie receivers Pharoh Cooper (shoulder) and Nelson Spruce (knee) will continue to practice this week, but Fisher is unsure about their status for this Sunday. If healthy, Cooper would be the No. 3 receiver and Spruce could be a weapon on third downs.


http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/...ams-issues-with-penalties-it-doesnt-look-good

Without looking it up on the web

Perhaps the real Todd Gurley has finally arrived
By Alden Gonzalez

[www.espn.com]


TAMPA, Fla. -- Todd Gurley took his right hand and slammed it against the turf at Raymond James Stadium.

It was second-and-11, early in the second half of the Los Angeles Rams' 37-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, and Gurley still couldn't find any holes through which to run free. The star running back tried cutting his way to the outside, but was stuffed for no gain by the Bucs' safety -- yes, their safety -- Bradley McDougald. By then, Gurley had managed a mere 34 yards on the ground, putting his average for the season at 2.5 yards per carry.

Then, finally, it happened: Todd Gurley became Todd Gurley again.


Todd Gurley finally seemed to break through Sunday, gaining 38 yards on six carries on the drive that put the Rams ahead.
Six minutes later, the Rams had the ball and Gurley led them on an eight-play, 69-yard drive that gave them a 24-20 lead. He ran for 38 yards on six carries, capping it with a one-yard score. He gained nine yards twice. And he broke off a brilliant 16-yard run in which he quickly found a hole to his right, exploded to the second level, got tripped up twice, spun around and managed to stay on his feet for an extra seven yards.

"That’s what he needs," Rams left tackle Rodger Saffold said, "but it’s just like last year. He didn’t even get to play the first three games, and then he came out smoking. Everything comes together when you start to see it. Then you start to believe in it, then it becomes second nature. That’s when it becomes your mentality."

That's the Rams' hope for Gurley, who finished with 27 rushes for 85 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 3.15 yards per carry, an improvement over Week 1 (2.77 yards) and Week 2 (2.68) but still not quite good enough.

"He's not there yet," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "Not because of Todd Gurley personally, but we don't have him there offensively to where we want to get to."

That's partly because of an offensive line that isn't opening up enough holes and partly because of a passing game that doesn't pose enough of a vertical threat, and it's hard to identify where one issue ends and the other begins.

The Rams, at least, have shown progress offensively.

They've gone from gaining 185 yards from scrimmage in Week 1 to 283 in Week 2 and 320 in Week 3. On Sunday, they went 6-for-13 on third down. And on several occasions, Case Keenum -- 14-of-26 for 190 yards, two touchdowns and an interception that was returned for a touchdown -- used play action with Gurley to set up a deep pass play.

Gurley credited the offensive line and said there were "a lot of good signs" that the running game was moving in the proper direction, but that he would check the film to make sure.

"I tried to be patient," Gurley said. "Obviously they’re going to try to stop the run, and we’re going to keep running, so you just have to go out there every play and just try to get some yards."

It wasn't all on James L., but was a starting LBer that oversaw the Falcons rush 217 yards in tonight's game. I don't remember him being as slow as he was tonight, last year. Little Animal, it's time to do something else.....

Lame as fuck. Think up something more douche' NFLN. This is getting redundant over 4 or more "analyst".

And yes I finally turned off the TV.

We just love to hate in this 50 state country on Everything!

I have to admit, basking in the glory of a 2-1 start has been nice, considering we've started 1-2 or worse in our first 3 since 2007; but as the ecstasy of another dramatic win wears off I found myself wondering how we can improve this team. What can we fix this year?

Sure getting back a healthy Gaines anywhere near his 2014 campaign would do wonders for this D. As would Quinn returning to his 2013 form, which it seems like is becoming more of a possibility week after week. Or adding Cooper and Spruce into the fold: two possession receivers known for their hands and ability to make contested catches (something few on this offense have shown the ability to consistently do).

No folks, the answer (paging @jrry32 ) to this team becoming a playoff contender this year is Jared Goff.

I'm sure some of you are wondering: how does this tie into Gurley? It's as simple as:

jrry32 said:

He started getting it going today. The Bucs and our other opponents bring an 8th man into the box on every running down because they don't fear Keenum. It was getting in Todd's head. When you combine that with an OL that has been shaky in the run blocking department, it breeds bad results.

IMO, the best chance to open some running lanes is to get Goff on the field. He can back defenses off because his arm talent allows him to challenge more parts of the field. Keenum is doing his best. He was much more aggressive against TB. But it's still difficult for him.

It'll also help Gurley if the OL can do a better job of opening holes and holding their blocks.

Click to expand...

Bottom line is a better QB, one with the ability to air it out & consistently convert routine NFL throws (both of which Keenum fails at), will warrant more respect and as a result more favorable matchups for Todd will arise.

I found myself wondering: were the first 4 games a coming out party for Todd and the league had yet to adjust? Why has he only posted ONE 100-yard game in his last 11 games? I looked at personnel. We have virtually the same OL this year as last, arguably better with more experience under their belts. We have the same skill players, aside from the three rookies who have yet to make an impact.

So why has Todd's production fallen off? It's certainly not on Todd, as I've seen him turn -5 into +2 time and time again this year.

It's the quarterback.

I know Nick Foles is no Aaron Rodgers, but he is a one-time Pro Bowl QB with NFL tools and is a step up from what we have in Case Keenum. Keenum is gritty, but lacks arm strength, accuracy, anticipation, and awareness. You can win games in the NFL in spite of good quarterback play, but not consistently and certainly not consistently enough to make the playoffs.

I've done enough rambling, so I'm just gonna drop my stats on you:

(CPG=carries per game, YPG=yards per game, TDPG=TD per game, OPPG=total offense points per game, & %OPPG=% of offensive points scored by Todd)

You can take away from these numbers what you want, but what I see is a clear correlation between a greater passing threat in Foles and good numbers from Todd. The numbers also show that there is less stress on Todd (fewer carries), but he's more effective with the touches he gets (5.4 ypc to 3.6 ypc). Lets also not forget Todd had 4 100-yard games in 8 games with Foles and only 1 in 7 games with Case.

So please, @jrry32 and I beg you Fisher, please insert Goff ASAP. You've maxed out Case's potential and Todd is suffering because of it!

lol. LANGUAGE & VOLUME WARNING

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Five Takeaways: Rams 37-32 Win over Buccaneers

By Myles Simmons

[www.therams.com]

The Rams won a shootout with the Buccaneers on Sunday 37-32, improving their record to 2-1 on the season. With this kind of high-scoring affair, plenty went right for Los Angeles but there was also clear room for improvement.

1) Touchdowns

Head coach Jeff Fisher joked early in the week that he had found a box full of touchdowns at the Rams’ facility that had gotten misplaced in the move to Cal Lutheran. After Sunday’s game, he repeated the line, quipping the Rams “just had to pass them out.”

That they did, with the offense scoring four touchdowns and the defense adding a fifth in the Rams’ second straight victory.

Los Angeles got on the board with a 44-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Case Keenum to wide receiver Brian Quick on the opening drive, which was significant from a mental standpoint.

“Anytime you can get out there and have success early, it just kind of settles you down as an offense,” Keenum said.


The quarterback’s second touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter, when he found wide receiver Tavon Austin on the left side of the field for a 43-yard touchdown reception. Between the two passing touchdowns, running back Todd Gurley scored two rushing TDs — both from a yard out.

Generally, the offense moved the ball much better than they had the first two games of the season on Sunday. L.A. finished with 320 total yards, 18 first downs, and a 6-of-13 mark in third-down efficiency. Those numbers do represent progress, though there is still significant room for improvement.

“There were a lot of good things,” Gurley said. “I’ll watch film tomorrow and kind of build off that.”

2) Scoring on defense

One element of the game the Rams’ defense takes a lot of pride in is the unit’s ability to put points on the board itself. L.A. did that on Sunday when defensive end Robert Quinn recorded a sack/fumble on Tampa Bay QB Jameis Winston and defensive end Ethan Westbrooks brought the loose ball 77 yards to pay dirt.

“It was big — it was big for Ethan,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “You want to create an extra possession for our offense if we didn’t score, but we also want to score on defense, too.”

“To do that on defense is a great thing — put points up and your offense is on the sideline is always a great thing,” Quinn said. “But I think that’s just the mindset in the room. We can score on defense and put the game in our hands.”

With the temperature at 90 degrees and humid for kickoff, Westbrooks was rightfully exhausted when he reached the end zone. So much so, he said he didn’t even do much celebrating.

“Oh yeah, I was pretty done after that,” Westbrooks said. “My coaches were like, ‘Why didn’t you celebrate?’ I honestly didn’t have any energy to celebrate. I barely had enough energy to get to the sideline.”


While Westbrooks’ return is getting a lot of earned attention, the play Quinn made to get the ball out is why he’s so dangerous when healthy. The defensive end recorded his second strip-sack in two weeks, giving him 18 forced fumbles since the start of the 2012 season — the most in the NFL over that time frame. It’s a sign that Quinn is getting back to to himself after finishing last season on injured reserve.

“It’s a long season, but I feel like he’s going to get even stronger as the season goes on,” Ogletree said of Quinn.

“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable,” Quinn said. “As the weeks [have] been going on, I’m feeling better and better. And, of course, when you get to play games, that’s when you really get the true test of yourself.”

3) Donald plays D-end

Some unexpected circumstances pushed the Rams into giving defensive tackle Aaron Donald significant snaps at defensive end during Sunday’s game. First, defensive end William Hayes had to exit the contest with an ankle injury. While Hayes re-entered the game at one point, he was sidelined for much of it.

Then defensive end Eugene Sims was ejected for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. With defensive end Matt Longacre inactive, that left the Rams with just two available defensive ends.

In steps Donald, who ended up playing a total 77 of 90 possible defensive snaps — a very high percentage for a D-lineman.

“Just like playing D-tackle — just lined up different,” Donald said of the experience. “But it was good, anything I have to do to make sure we come out on top. And I know we had some guys that went down and things like that and just needed to move around a little bit more.”

According to the press box statistics, Donald recorded two tackles — one for loss — two quarterback hits, and two passes defensed.

“Aaron was playing end, and Ethan had to play the whole time,” Fisher said. “In the conditions, that’s hard. So they’re going to need some rest the next couple days.”

4) Need to cut down turnovers

After playing a clean game of no turnovers last week to beat Seattle, Los Angeles had two costly turnovers on Sunday. The first came on the second drive when Keenum threw a pick six to linebacker Kwon Alexander. Later, wide receiver Kenny Britt fumbled and the Buccaneers’ offense scored on the ensuing drive.

“We were just doing stupid stuff, man,” Gurley said. “We score a touchdown, we give a touchdown up, and basically [gave] them two touchdowns on offense. That can’t happen. We can’t have that.”

The offense was able to get past those negative plays for this week. But those are the kinds of plays that can effectively derail an offense when it comes to staying on schedule, sustaining drives, and scoring points.

5) Overcoming the weather delay

As if 90-degree heat with significant humidity were not enough of a weather obstacle — with two minutes left in the game and the Rams’ offense on the field for a 3rd-and-11 play, the officials suspended play because of lightning in the area. And it’s not the first time the Rams have had to deal with a weather delay while playing at Raymond James Stadium.

“You know what’s funny, it’s the second time in a row that we’ve had a little break coming down here and having a weather delay, and then coming out and fortunately finding a way to win the game at the end,” Fisher said, referring to Week 2 of the 2014 season, when the Rams beat the Bucs 19-17.

While it’s a nuisance to deal with, the Rams were able to work through it effectively.

“The most important thing is communicating to the players,” Fisher said. “The officiating department did a great job just keeping us informed and then I would relay the information to the players. And finally, I told them we’re going to get this thing going again.”

“You kind of used it to your advantage, just to cool down, hydrate a little bit, get a little bite to eat and re-focus yourself,” Quinn said. “The Bucs had to do the same thing. We just came back in, got our minds right, and went out and tried to execute our plan.”

Fortunately, the delay and the game worked out in the Rams’ favor as the club was able to seal its 37-32 victory.

We had a great time at the game in Tampon yesterday. I'll try and give you a brief blow by blow with some pics.

I hope that all of you who were there will also use this thread to post pics and share a story or 2 about our successful visit into enemy territory.

We had a smaller group than normal this year. Mainly because some of our FL Locals limped out on us ... and I missed them (except for @LesBaker of course). But I think this group pic will show just about everyone who stayed and spent a little time together under my FSU canopy.




I'll point out the ROD members for everyone starting from the left...

@Ramhusker in the yellow Gurley jersey.

In the current Gurley jersey holding his son on his shoulders is @BeachRam78. His wife is to his right.

I'm in the Dickerson throwback. My wife is on my left.

@Ramrasta is in the Tavon jersey. My oldest son.

@RamzFanz is in the white Gurley jersey. His sister is on his left. Yes,,, she is a buc fan and has on that red top... she has on a badass buc necklace that is hard to see in this pic.

@ramfan46 is in the white Quinn jersey with a blue towel around his neck.

The others who are not in Ram gear are Ramhusker's son and his 2 friends. Well,,, except for the one Tampon fan in the back photo bombing us... you can see his sorry ass behind my wife. We were having some good fun with the buc fans around us really. A buc fan actually took this shot for us.

First time listening to the pre and post game shows for various reasons.
What the fuck is this niner douchebag doing on our own broadcast? He has always hated on the Rams and it is no different on the radio now. I wanted punch the fucking radio listening to asshat comment on OUR team, fuck him. Who is the absolute idiot who hired this fuck to talk about my team? He should be fired, anybody who knows anything Rams wouldn't go this way.
Here's to hoping he gets French fry hair ass off my fucking coverage, I hate him.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/26/report-greg-hardy-arrested-for-drug-possession/

Report: Greg Hardy arrested for drug possession
Posted by Michael David Smith on September 26, 2016

Getty Images

Former Panthers and Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy has been arrested for drug possession.

NBC 5 in Dallas is reporting that Hardy was arrested in the Dallas suburb of Richardson on Sunday for possession of a controlled substance. He was taken to the Richardson City Jail, where he remained as of Monday afternoon.

There is no immediate word on the substance Hardy possessed, or any information about the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Hardy was once among the best pass rushers in the NFL, but after the Ray Rice domestic violence incident put the NFL under intense scrutiny, Hardy became toxic for his own past domestic violence arrest. Although charges against Hardy were eventually dropped, he never played for the Panthers again after the Rice elevator video became public.

In 2015 he signed with the Cowboys, but this year no team has shown any interest in him. He was already a long shot to return to the NFL even if he stayed on his best behavior, and a drug arrest could end any hope he had of playing in the NFL again.

I've just found some pics of former US tennis star Ashley Harkleroad, am now speechless!!

"If Bucs coach Dirk Koetter had used just one of the two remaining timeouts on any one of those three plays, he buys time for at least three more plays. Instead, he used one of the two remaining timeouts after an incomplete pass — meaning the clock was stopped already — with four seconds left. And he never used the last timeout."

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_e4880a3d-607a-523e-b3ae-609da055d250.html

I know William Hayes had an ankle

Brock had a scare - from what I'm reading - both are probably OK.

Anyone hear why Wichmann left the game in the 4th? I saw him limping a bit on the series before he left but they never reported anything unless I missed it.

Anyone else?

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Credit to Tlangland from the rams subreddit.

Wanted us to move on from this guy because I didn't think he had the mental make up that was needed.
Could still be right about that, but I have to give him serious props for his performance this year so far.
Dude is not only kicking everything out of the EZ on kickoffs ( he hasn't ever been consistent with this) , but he is nailing every stinking FG right down the middle, no matter the distance. He is flat out killing it, and is a hugely needed component to out team the way it is constructed. This guy is absolutely vital to our success and I hope he keeps it up.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-la-tb-grades/

Los Angeles Rams 37, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32

Here are the biggest takeaways and highest-graded players from the Los Angeles Rams’ 37-32 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:



Quarterback grade: Jameis Winston, 66.8

For two straight weeks, quarterback Jameis Winston has attempted over 50 passes. Part of that is due to being behind late in games; the other part is having a reliable running back that opponents will respect and not daring Winston to win the game through the air. The Rams’ pass-rush had him on edge the majority of the game, as he was hurried 10 times and hit five. On plays where he wasn’t pressured, Winston threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns while completing 64 percent of his passes. On the final play of the game, Winston simply seemed to lose awareness of where he was the field and drifted past the line of scrimmage looking for receivers before being brought down from behind, dropping the Bucs’ record to 1-2 on the season.

Top offensive grades:

WR Mike Evans, 82.9

TE Cameron Brate, 80.2

LT Donovan Smith, 78.4

RT Demar Dotson, 77.7

WR Adam Humphries, 74.0

Receivers grade well for Bucs

Wide receiver Mike Evans continues to be Jameis Winston’s favorite target, and will be for the foreseeable future. Evans was targeted 13 times, hauling in 10 for 132 yards. Eight of those receptions came against Rams CB Trumaine Johnson, who had a difficult time dealing with Evans’ unique size and speed after holding him in check early in the game. Evans has already been targeted 37 times through the first three games by QB Winston, but they’ve only managed to connect on 21 of those. TE Cameron Brate had to be a pleasant surprise for the Bucs; he was the offense’s highest-graded run blocker, at 87.2, while also catching five passes and two touchdowns.

Top defensive grades:

LB Lavonte David, 90.2

LB Kwon Alexander, 87.6

DT Gerald McCoy, 80.8

CB Brent Grimes, 77.4

S Chris Conte, 76.8

Linebackers live up to hype

The Bucs’ linebackers have rare athletic abilities, but those traits do not always translate to production. Against the Rams, the pair could not be accused of underperforming, however. Alexander had the momentum-shifting pick-six, one of four incompletions into his coverage. He also managed another pass deflection on his four targets, none of which were caught. Lavonte David was his usual, active self around the line of scrimmage, giving up just three catches for 12 yards with a pass deflection. The Bucs’ weak-side linebacker also managed five stops and an impressive 89.2 run-defense grade. Playing like this, opposing offenses will have trouble topping the Tampa Bay defense with small-ball.



Quarterback grade: Case Keenum, 58.1

Keenum recovers from early error

The perception of a performance can change dramatically on a single play. Case Keenum was largely effective against the Bucs, but threw a dreadful pick-six that tarnished an otherwise solid outing. He stared down his receiver, compounding that mistake by throwing late over the middle. It was the kind of error a rookie might make—only exacerbating the call for Jared Goff. To be fair to Keenum, he shook off that mistake and played well the rest of the way. His two touchdowns were relatively simple throws—a post against no centerfield defender and a corner route with a couple steps separation—but Keenum did enough ensure the win.

Top offensive grades:

RT Rob Havenstein, 80.1

LT Greg Robinson, 76.0

WR Tavon Austin, 74.5

WR Brian Quick, 71.7

RG Jamon Brown, 70.0

Riding the ground game working for Rams

The Rams’ physical style has now helped them to back-to-back wins. Right tackle Rob Havenstein embodies that philosophy; the former Wisconsin Badger looks capable of holding down a starting spot over the long-term. In the backfield, Todd Gurley had a solid performance without ripping off any big gains. He was forced to work for his 85 yards, earning 60 of them after contact. Even backup Benny Cunningham made an impact, bursting through the middle for a first down on 3rd-an- 20. Stopping the Rams’ run game undermines their game plan entirely, but it is easier said than done.

Top defensive grades:

DT Aaron Donald, 84.4

LB Alec Ogletree, 84.3

S T.J. McDonald, 81.7

DT Michael Brockers, 76.5

DE Robert Quinn, 73.3

Defensive line continues to shine

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald had a quieter day by his standards—even then, however, he still graded out as the top defensive player for L.A., and generating two QB hurries, two QB hits, and two batted passes. He finished with a pass-rush grade of 83.6, and gave Tampa Bay’s interior offensive line fits all game. Potentially the biggest play for the Rams’ defense was when DE Robert Quinn beat LT Donovan Smith clean off the edge with speed, then stripped Jameis Winston; Quinn’s execution of the play was a thing of beauty, remindining us why he’s still one of the top pass-rushers in the game.

PFF Game-Ball Winner: Buccaneers LB Lavonte David
PFF’s player grading process includes multiple reviews, which may change the grade initially published in order to increase its accuracy. Learn more about how we grade and access grades for every player through each week of the NFL season by subscribing to Player Grades.

We play against all the ex rams this year except Rodney. And since they all play defense its going to be interesting to see how we play against guys that definitely know our awesome scheme

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/26/pete-carroll-russell-wilson-has-a-sprained-mcl/

Pete Carroll: Russell Wilson has a sprained MCL
Posted by Josh Alper on September 26, 2016

Getty Images

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson went for an MRI on his injured knee after Sunday’s victory over the 49ers and the results call into question whether he’ll be able to start against the Jets in Week Four.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was on ESPN 710’s “Brock and Salk” Monday and said that the MRI showed Wilson has a sprained MCL. He said the diagnosis meant there’s “obviously consideration” to having Wilson sit out this week, although the perpetually upbeat coach added that the quarterback is doing “unbelievable” a day after getting hurt.

“I just left him,” Carroll said. “He’s unbelievable, OK. He feels great. He’s been rehabbing all night and doing his thing, and he can move around, walking fine. You can’t tell anything. He’s really excited about the thought that he could be able to maybe get through this thing.”

The Seahawks have a bye after the trip back to where they won the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, which would leave Wilson with two weeks to recover before the Seahawks host the Falcons on October 16. The decision will likely come down to how well Wilson can move over the coming days, so his status for Sunday afternoon may not be confirmed until Sunday morning.

The Rams are the first team since the 2003 Patriots to get shut out in the season opener and went on to win the next two games.

The Patriots of course went on to win 14 straight and capped off the season with a super bowl victory.

Can the Rams do the same? Probably not. But you can dream.

The run game was at it's best yesterday when Todd had a fullback to follow into the hole. Gurley played with a lead blocker throughout his college career and seems more comfortable doing so. He excels at putting defenders where he wants them and it helps when he can steer them into a fullback. Almost all of his successful runs were lead by Harkey:

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The Bills had a lot of success running the ball at the Cardinals and a lot of it came out of the I-formation. I think every one of McCoy's long runs were lead by the FB.

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Hopefully Boras and Fisher see this and attack the Cardinals in a similar fashion.

These are only excerpts from this article. To read the whole thing click the link below.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/09/26/carson-wentz-eagles-nfl-week-3-monday-morning-qb-peter-king

Don't bother looking for anything on the Rams. There was only one comment near the end of the article and it was negative. Here it is..."I think I speak for all Rams fans when I ask: Case Keenum, what were you thinking on the worst interception of the weekend? And where oh where is Jared Goff? Or even Sean Mannion?"

And another shot at the Rams about Jared Goff at the beginning of the article.

Yet PK spends plenty of time kissing Patriots butt as usual. I'm at the point where I'm thinking of sending him Dr. Phil's email addy so he can get some counseling. But then again that would require effort on my part.


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Carson Wentz and the Young NFL Quarterback Revolution
A trend is developing, as evidenced by the on-field success of some very raw players in Week 3. Plus the most impressive win on Sunday, a debate about the greatest coach ever, weekly awards, 10 things and much more
By Peter King

“If Wentz wins this game, the people in this town are going to tear down the Rocky statue and put up one of Carson Wentz.”
—ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, before Carson Wentz’s Eagles went out and beat Ben Roethlisberger’s Steelers by 31 points Sunday.

PHILADELPHIA — Something’s happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear.

Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIoKr9VDg3A


But this Wentzmania (we’ll get to his details shortly) leads the way for a slew of kid quarterbacks that has defined the first month of the season. Six of them. None named Jared Goff.

How ridiculously well the young quarterbacks have done. (For stats, click the link above).

Young Turk W-L record: 11-2. Young Turk TD-INT ratio: 15-3.

Is that really different? I’d say so. Last year, there were two young guns playing early, and Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston were a combined 2-4 after three weeks. This year, as we prepare to exit September, the four kids who’ve played enough to qualify for the league leaders—Garoppolo, Wentz, Siemian and Prescott—are 2, 7, 11 and 12, respectively, in the league in passer rating.

My theory on why we’re seeing such competent-to-outstanding play by these millennials was explained in three words by Wentz outside the Eagles’ fairly excited locker room Sunday evening. They’re the same three words he spoke to me at the combine last February when Wentz was on trial for his future, trying to make the jump from North Dakota State to the NFL.

“It’s just football,” he told me.

Wentz doesn’t make it too big. I mentioned in this column after Week 1 that there were some preternaturally young kids playing well at quarterback, and now it’s not just a novelty act. Siemian, Prescott and Garoppolo have the same ethos as Wentz. (I’m not too familiar with Kessler or Brissett, who are playing solely due to injury.)

Siemian strafed the Bengals on the road on Sunday, Prescott looked like a six-year vet on Sunday night in beating Chicago, and Wentz—well, let Eagles coach Doug Pederson do the gee whiz part of this. “Who’d have thought a kid from North Dakota would be such a mature individual and would make the adjustment to the pro game as quickly as he has?” Pederson said.

When it’s just football, you’ve got a chance.

* * *

It’s Just Football


Photo: Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Near the end of the Eagles’ 34-3 win over the Steelers, Kalyn Kahler of The MMQB went into the stands at Lincoln Financial Field to ask a few of the legions wearing Wentz jerseys about their three-game hero. Said 24-year-old Kyle Frazier: “I am literally in tears with how good he is. I've been an Eagles fan for 24 years, my whole life. I bought this jersey three weeks ago. When we drafted him I thought he was the change of the franchise.” And Vince Fabrizio, 54, said: “He will take us to a Super Bowl as some point.”

Like, now? This has been an absurd ride so far. Wentz and the Eagles 34, Big Ben and the Steelers 3. The guy who was supposed to redshirt this season, the guy who wouldn’t be playing right now if Teddy Bridgewater hadn’t suffered a freak injury last month, 1,170 miles away, the guy who has every downtrodden fan in Cleveland vomiting (again) this morning because the Browns gave away the chance to draft him … that guy is 3-0, with the wins coming by 19, 15 and 31 points, and just when is construction beginning on that statue, Sal?

Six months ago this week the Eagles locked onto Wentz. They told no one. But they spent a day and a half in Fargo at North Dakota State—on the practice field, in the classroom (for three hours) and out to dinner—and Philly’s staid offensive coordinator, Frank Reich, was reaching for the right word after Sunday’s game about that 36 hours studying Wentz.

“Magical,” he said. “Seriously. Like magic. There was just something about him. I’ve been around a lot of smart quarterbacks, a lot of really good quarterbacks. This guy had something we all noticed. On the practice field, just watching him warm up and get ready, I was giddy. His movements, his explosiveness in his lower body. His arm strength. His accuracy. Then in the classroom, his intellect and his football acumen—hard to describe. But all there. He could not be stumped, by any of us.

What’s your protection here? Why’d you pick this receiver? What do you like about this play? He was so far ahead of guys I’ve studied. And we kept hearing the level of competition, that people were worried about the North Dakota State part of it. I said, ‘Let ’em keep saying that! Please keep saying that.’ ”

“I remember it well,” Wentz said. “They tested me quite a bit. I just thought, Be myself. Talk football. Have fun.”

Pederson probed about Wentz’s focus. “I asked him something that was important to me,” Pederson said Sunday night. “You can be a dedicated person, but sometimes your family can be a drag on you. Sometimes they can be demanding, and distracting. I asked him, ‘Is your family gonna be a distraction?’ He said, ‘No sir. Coach, I can tell you, it’s all about football for me.’ ”

There was an innocence, an earnestness to Wentz—and Pederson bought what he was saying. He hasn’t regretted it. When the Eagles left Fargo, GM Howie Roseman worked with Cleveland to deal from eight to two in the first round, and a week before the draft the deal went down.

One more deal had to be made to get Wentz on the field this month: the Vikings trading for prospective Eagles starter Sam Bradford. When I asked owner Jeffrey Lurie whether he was nervous when the Bradford deal was close with the Vikings early this month, he said: “No. Because of Carson.”

One play Sunday encapsulated Wentz’s early proficiency. On the first Philly drive of the second half, Wentz faced third-and-eight at his 27. Pederson called for a three-by-one formation: three receivers left, one to the right, Darren Sproles as a sidecar to Wentz in the shotgun. At the snap, Wentz stared left, trying to pick the most open option; but Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt burst through the line and pressured Wentz. “I just turned upfield,” Wentz told me, “and went improvise-mode.”

He shook to the right a step, causing a lunging Tuitt to miss. No happy feet on Wentz here. While evading Tuitt, Wentz stared downfield and pressed forward, and then a few steps to the right while four Steelers chased him. Jogging right, he saw linebacker Ryan Shazier, covering Sproles out of the backfield, creeping up to join the chase, and Wentz, on the move, flicked a perfect ball to Sproles. The pass hit him in stride, and the dangerous lightning bug sprinted and bobbed and weaved for a 73-yard touchdown.

It’s just football.

“Obviously it’s bigger,” Wentz said. “There’s more of a media machine now. And you play against guys you’ve been watching since you were a kid. [Wentz was 11 the day the Steelers drafted Roethlisberger.] But it’s a game. Just a game. Just football. I’ve been playing it for a long time. My thought is, keep preparing. Prepare, and play the game we all love.”

It shouldn’t be happening this fast for the Eagles, coming up from 7-9 with a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback from North Dakota State and a defense that needed a new leader. But it is, and there’s nothing fluky about it. The Eagles are legitimate deep-into-January contenders right now.

* * *


Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Most Impressive Win of the Weekend

How can any win be bigger and better than Philadelphia whacking Pittsburgh? Tough call, but the Vikings losing two of their most indispensible players (Adrian Peterson, left tackle Matt Kalil) plus important defensive-line piece Sharrif Floyd during the week and traveling to NFC champ Carolina made for a pretty tough day.

This is one premier defense that Mike Zimmer has built. The Vikings held explosive Carolina scoreless for the last 50 minutes. They sacked Cam Newton eight times. They intercepted him three times. They nailed him for a safety. They held big targets Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess catchless. And though the Minnesota offense struggled all day, Sam Bradford played his second straight turnover-free game, and the Vikings didn’t give anything away.

Minnesota travels to Philadelphia in Week 7. They could meet again in January.

What team loses its three most important offensive pieces—quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, left tackle Kalil and star back Peterson in the span of a month—and wins at the NFC champ’s house? One of the important elements for the Vikings, I believe, has been the ability of GM Rick Spielman to constantly look forward. Two interesting pieces to the Minnesota puzzle coming up:

• Spielman got fried publicly when he traded a first-round pick and another mid-round pick to Philadelphia for Bradford. But he knew, and didn’t say at the time, that he would likely have the ability in 2017 to have one of the best chips in the league to trade. Bradford is signed through the end of 2017, and Bridgewater is rehabbing after knee surgery.

Suppose doctors tell Spielman in March that Bridgewater will certainly be back for 2017. Then Spielman could choose to trade Bradford or Bridgewater, certainly recouping a first-round pick. Or he could hang on to both and have the deepest quality quarterback situation in football. “I hope we have that difficult choice to make,” Spielman told me last week.

• Spielman wasn’t in love with his options late in the third round last spring, so he dealt the 86th overall pick to Miami (Leonte Carroo) for a sixth-round pick this year and third-round and fourth-round picks next year. “So even though we traded two picks to get Sam,” Spielman said, “we’ve still got eight picks in next year’s draft.”

“When you build a roster,” he continued, “you have to build it with the kind of depth to withstand the injuries that we’ve had. You have to think that every pick you make is eventually going to have to play.” It’s a good philosophy anyway. But with the Vikings 3-0, Spielman’s been pushing every right button so far.

* * *

The Greatest Pro Football Coaches Ever

Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Well, there’s a headline that’ll be hard to live up to. But here are my five:

1. Paul Brown. 1946-49, Cleveland (AAFC); 1950-62 (NFL).

2. Bill Belichick. 1991-95, Cleveland; 2000-16, New England.

3. Vince Lombardi. 1959-67, Green Bay; 1969, Washington.

4. Chuck Noll. 1969-91, Pittsburgh.

5. Don Shula. 1963-69, Baltimore; 1970-95, Miami.

Notably absent are George Halas (40 years coaching the Bears, six titles) and Bill Walsh (offensive trendsetter, three Super Bowl wins) and many others, and I could have had Shula anywhere from third to fifth on the list. And it could be that one day Belichick will beat out Brown for the top spot. I won’t argue vehemently if folks think Brown benefited from the eight-team AAFC (he did) and then a 13-team NFL when he joined in 1950 (he did).

But here’s what you should remember about Paul Brown. The All-American Football Conference was essentially the AFL founded 14 years earlier, and Brown’s Cleveland franchise won the league in all four of its seasons. When the NFL merged with the AAFC, the Browns joined the big league—and played in the NFL title game in each of the first six seasons it was in the league. Brown won the championship of his league seven times in his first 10 years as a pro coach.

So many modernisms started with Brown—sophisticated game-planning, scouting reports, coach-to-quarterback radio communication, signing black players—and Belichick reveres him. “Paul Brown integrated football without saying a single word about integration,” sportswriter Terry Pluto quoted Jim Brown as saying in 1997.

I covered the Paul Brown-owned Bengals in 1984, and I remember coach Sam Wyche telling me that having Brown for a boss was like living next to a library. “And I’d be a fool not to check out the books,” Wyche said.

As for Belichick, competing in the modern game with double (or more) the teams to beat every year makes his accomplishments significant. As does going 14-5 (to this point) with Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett, and winning four Super Bowls, going to two more, and having a dominant team for 15 years, winning in so many different ways.

There are those who will take him off this list because of the spying and deflation scandals, and though they count, I cannot believe the results would have been much different—if at all—if neither thing ever happened. (And I am not convinced the Deflategate thing ever did happen, and there’s zero evidence Belichick knew about any of it if it did.)

Lombardi is simple. He’s a legendary no-nonsense coach who built a dynasty in the smallest market in American professional sports. Noll changed the culture in Pittsburgh, a change we see to this day. Shula won in a lot of ways, and more games than anyone.

Disagree? Send me your top five and brief rationale. When I write my mailbag column Wednesday, I’ll use the best arguments to shoot me down. Send your lists here. Thanks.

* * *

The Award Section

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Trevor Siemian, quarterback, Denver. In his first NFL road game as a starter, Siemian beat a perennial playoff team. What a performance for the man who platooned with Kain Colter for two years at Northwestern. Against the Bengals, Siemian was 23 of 35 for 312 yards, with four touchdowns and no picks, for a rating of 132.1. Remember when the wideouts in Denver were sort of quietly grumbling? Well, Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas combined for 15 catches, 217 yards and three touchdowns. Let’s assume the flight back to Denver was a happy one.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Everson Griffen, defensive end, Minnesota. Griffen had three of the Vikings’ eight sacks in a marauding performance at Carolina, bugging Cam Newton from start to finish. The Vikings hit Newton 12 times (according to the official game book), helping lead to three interceptions. Griffen is sometimes forgotten on a defense with so many shining stars, but Mike Zimmer is using him to generate pressure consistently, and he was vital in holding the Panthers to one touchdown on 12 possessions Sunday.

Jamie Collins, linebacker, New England. In what could have been the best game by a defensive player in this young season, Collins had 14 tackles and an interception that showed his great range at an important time of a still-competitive game early in the second quarter against Houston. The play I liked most in the Patriots’ 27-0 win—other than the athletic pick—was this one:

Last gasp for Brock Osweiler, first play of the fourth quarter, Houston down 20-0, third-and-four at the Pats’ 36, Osweiler dumps off a pass to running back Jonathan Grimes, and Collins slams him down; no gain. Good thing the Patriots chose to devote major cap room long-term to Collins over Chandler Jones. Collins is better.

Quinton Dunbar, cornerback, Washington. He made a contested catch on a 31-yard fake punt throw from Tress Way, leading to the go-ahead fourth-quarter field goal against the Giants. When New York sliced and diced its way through the Washington defense on the ensuing drive, and Eli Manning stood 15 yards from the go-ahead TD, and threw for tight end Will Tye in the end zone, Dunbar muscled past Tye and picked off the ball a yard deep. Touchback. Perfect instincts on the play from the second-year man from Florida.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Tress Way, punter, Washington. Talk about some guts from Washington coach Jay Gruden and from Way … with 18 minutes left and Washington trailing the Giants 24-23, and with a fourth-and-12, Way was asked to execute a fake-punt throw deep down the left side. To a cornerback. (Well, there’s some extenuating circumstances there: Quinton Dunbar, a corner now, played receiver at Florida and caught 111 passes in four seasons. He was moved to corner in Washington last year due to a rash of injuries.) Way’s pass traveled 40 yards in the air, and Dunbar snagged it despite a call of interference on the Giants, and it led to the field goal that gave Washington the lead.

Ryan Allen, punter, New England. Seven punts against Houston. Zero return yards. Dropped, respectively, at the Houston 11-yard-line, 10, 10, 20, 14, 5 and 4. I mean, can a punter have a better game? No wonder the Texans were so feeble Thursday night. They had to travel from Boston to Galveston to score a point.

COACH OF THE WEEK

Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator, Philadelphia. Schwartz kept his lips zipped when he got fired as Buffalo’s defensive coordinator after the 2014 season, when his D ranked fourth in the league, and first in third-down conversion percentage. He didn’t mouth off when Rex Ryan limped home the following year with the league’s 19th-rated defense, and 23rd-rated on third down. But there’s no denying that Schwartz is one heck of a defensive coach.

For a third consecutive week, the Eagles defense was dominant in the 34-3 win over Pittsburgh, holding the explosive Steelers to 251 yards and badgering Ben Roethlisberger all afternoon. For the year, Schwartz’s crew is surrendering 9.0 points, 274 yards and one touchdown per game.

GOAT OF THE WEEK

Kameron Canaday, long-snapper, Arizona. The same undrafted rookie snapper whose snap was off-line and led to a 47-yard Chandler Catanzaro miss in the final minute of the 23-21 loss to New England in Week 1 had another airmail job Sunday in Buffalo. With the Cards down 23-7 and needing a field goal to make it a two-score game against the Bills, Canaday snapped it over holder Drew Butler’s head, and the Bills’ Aaron Williams scooped it up and ran 53 yards for a touchdown. Two losses, two major errors by the snapper. That’s not something the Cardinals are going to be able to withstand.

“Grow the hell up. It has nothing to do with anything but what’s between his ears.”

—Arizona coach Bruce Arians, on the problems of rookie long-snapper Kameron Canaday.

Cody Parkey, kicker, Cleveland. A 46-yard field goal, with a perfect snap and clean hold, ought to be pretty easy in today’s NFL. And it should have been for Parkey, in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter at Miami in a 24-24 game. But Parkey’s kick started left and stayed left, finishing eight feet wide. A good boot there, and Cleveland wins before overtime. Of course, the Browns lost.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback, New York Jets. Six interceptions in the 24-3 loss at Kansas City. Nothing else need be written.

* * *

Right Combination of the Week

Dante Scarnecchia, offensive line coach, New England, and his line: Nate Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon. In his third game back after Bill Belichick fetched him out of retirement, and working on a short week, the 68-year-old Scarnecchia turned in a great teaching game for his still-developing line. When coaches talk about team play and right combinations of the line, they should show a tape of the New England line, orchestrated by Scarnecchia. Over the first two weeks of the season, the Texans’ trio of pass-rushers—J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus—combined for five sacks, six additional QB hits and nine pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

On Thursday night, the combo platter of Patriot linemen held the Texans to zero sacks, zero hits and three pressures on rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett in New England’s 27-0 victory. That’s called smart obstruction of great rushers, particularly Watt, by Scarnecchia and coordinator Josh McDaniels.

* * *

Things I Think

I think these are my notable people for Week 3:

1. Sammy Watkins just isn’t right. He’s got a significant foot injury, and it’s likely he won’t be the player the Bills traded two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder for until at least next year. You can’t ask a speed player to be an impact player if his foot’s not right. And this isn’t just a one-week or two-week injury; it could take the season to heal.

Jacoby Brissett won a game no one expected him to win, 27-0 over Houston, and he exited with a right thumb injury. Did you see the in-house video of Brissett from the post-game locker room Thursday night? High fives, hearty handshakes … nothing showing he was favoring the thumb. I don’t expect the Patriots are too nervous, particularly with a teeth-gritting Jimmy Garoppolo hoping to harness up to play one last game before the Week 5 return of Tom Brady.

Ton of really good kickers in the NFL right now, but Justin Tucker of the Ravens is as clutch as any. Baltimore trailed Jacksonville 17-16 with 67 seconds left Sunday, and Tucker drilled a 54-yarder that went straight down the middle and hit halfway up the net. Seriously: That thing would have been good from 65.

This seems like a pretty good sign: On a humid 88-degree afternoon in Jacksonville, old man Raven Terrell Suggs, coming off his second rehab for a torn Achilles, sacked Blake Bortles twice in the last 12 minutes of the game. Ravens are 3-0, unexpectedly, and though it hasn’t been pretty, they enter October two wins better than the Bengals. We didn’t see that coming.

John Harbaugh, 90 wins with 13 games (or more) of his ninth year left. What a decision the Ravens made to take a chance on a special teams-turned-DB coach from the Eagles.

Whatever the reason, the Bills showed up for new offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, and Lynn called LeSean McCoy’s name 17 times (for 110 yards), and the Bills ran 32 times in all for 208 yards. That’s more of the offense Rex Ryan wants, which Lynn knows. The players like playing for Lynn.

The early view on Russell Wilson is that he wants to play against the Jets in New Jersey next Sunday, then rest and rehab his sprained right ankle and strained left knee (if that’s all it is, which will be discovered with finality today) over the Seattle bye week. Teams usually hate having the bye this early, but an early October week off couldn’t come at a better time for the Seahawks.

The Cardinals are not in big trouble, but losing at Buffalo and falling to 1-2, with an offense sputtering too much for the talent they have, should make for nervous times this week in Tempe. Carson Palmer has 10 interceptions in his past five games, which, of course, is not sustainable if the Cardinals want to be Super Bowl contenders.

The MMQB/SI Takeover cover guy, Khalil Mack, has opened the season with three sackless games. Not that I believe in the SI cover jinx. Just saying. Mostly, teams are running and game-planning away from Mack.

2. I think the Jets-Chiefs game, analytically, has to be one of the strangest games in recent history. Eight of New York’s 11 drives ended in a turnover; I mean, has there ever been a game with an 8-to-1 turnover margin in the NFL? Crazy thing is, Ryan Fitzpatrick was never sacked, and he threw six picks. “Sh---- game plan, sh---- execution, sh---- all around,” summed up Jets coach Todd Bowles. Boy, that must have been a fun flight back to New Jersey last night.

3. I think Mike McCarthy’s dream game plan likely is very close to Sunday’s 34-27 win over Detroit: 24 runs, 24 passes, four touchdown passes, no interceptions, Aaron Rodgers in commend in a huge first half, Jordy Nelson a factor again. Not perfect, but a B-plus game for an offense that desperately needed it.

4. I think Darren Sproles is the most underrated offensive weapon in football.

5. I think I don’t know whether Dak Prescott, rookie version, is a better option for the Cowboys a month from now than Tony Romo, rehab version. But I do know Prescott hasn’t done enough yet to wrest the job from Romo full-time. And we won’t know next week (at Niners) either. We won’t know until Prescott meets the Bengals and Packers in Weeks 5 and 6 before the Cowboys’ bye.

6. I think Rick Spielman is the executive of the month … unless, like me, you give John Elway credit for passing on paying Brock Osweiler $72 million so Denver could play Trevor Siemian. But for the Vikings to be 3-0 with all the adversity they’ve had in the past month is amazing.

7. I think the continuing brainlock of some return men stuns me. I wrote last week about returners now being assured of the ball on the 25-yard line by virtue of the NFL’s new rule to put touchbacks on the 25 instead of the 20. The league was littered in the first two weeks with returners who took kicks out from well into the end zone.

And Sunday, with the Lions down by 17 points midway through the third quarter, Detroit returner Andre Roberts—a six-year veteran and former Larry Fitzgerald protégé who should know better—took the ball seven yards deep and chose to come out. Keep in mind that Roberts would have had to return the ball 33 yards to the Detroit 26-yard line to make this worth the risk. Nope. He returned it to the 18. Cost his team seven yards.

8. I think that David Bruton interception in the end zone, when the Washington safety stole the ball from Giants back Bobby Rainey, sure looked like an interception to me. Replay saw it otherwise. I don’t buy it.