A few notes on re-watch of Rams Raiders....

[XXXIVwin]

Re-watched a few plays in the first half in slo-mo while keying on a few guys. Some notes:

Davis Allen had some GREAT run blocks. On a couple plays he really helped spring Ronnie Rivers. Stayed with his guy on a sustained block, several seconds, and took his guy out of the play. If his blocking is as good as his hands? Great. HE may be slow, but his hands and his blocking look REALLY promising.

I'm sorry but on the play where Bruss got injured, he had his ass handed to him. #51 on the Raiders just obliterated him. Knocked him completely off his feet, which is why he had such a sharp angle on his ankle when he tried to recover. We do not want Bruss out there anytime soon.

Quentin Lake with some sweet plays on ST.

Anchrum looked Steady Eddie to me. Avila looks okay-- mainly he's just so damn BIG.

I keyed on Nick Hampton on a few plays and unfortunately I didn't like what I saw. Worst of all, at least twice he was the very last guy on the D-line to react after the snap... maybe he's thinking too much? The knock on him was that he might be too small. Unfortunately that's what I saw. He just got "swallowed up" on several plays. When his first move didn't work, he got stopped stone dead with nowhere to go. To me it looks like he's gonna have to bulk up and add some power to his game, because right now if he can't beat you with speed to the outside he's got nothing else.

A few other random thoughts and observations....

I can't look at the Rams OL coach without thinking "Hagrid."

Skowronek reminds me of Bradley Cooper with a big honkin' nose.

Loved to see McVay fired up and having FUN out there. (He NEEDS to have some fun this year or else he'll burn the fuck out). I loved hearing him drop the S-bomb on live TV.

Whit sure is convinced that Boom is a starter. We'll see.

Nice flashes from VanValkenberg, Keir Thomas, and Bobby Brown.

Ronnie Rivers looks superior to Zach Evans from what I've seen so far.

Glad that Byron Young was held out... shows that McVay wants to save his health for Opening Day.

Nacua didn't play but Skowronek did. Makes me wonder if Nacua has passed Skowronek for the #4 WR spot?

Thoughts and comments welcome

 

[kurtfaulk]

Nacua didn't play but Skowronek did. Makes me wonder if Nacua has passed Skowronek for the #4 WR spot?

that's exactly what it means.

Davis Allen had some GREAT run blocks. On a couple plays he really helped spring Ronnie Rivers. Stayed with his guy on a sustained block, several seconds, and obliterated his guy and took him out of the play. If his blocking is as good as his hands? Great. HE may be slow, but his hands and his blocking look REALLY promising.

for his first ever game he looked really good out there. promising for the rams future at te. if hopkins breaks out this season, look out.

this could be higbee's last season with the rams. unless he balls out the whole season. could be a possibility if he's over that knee problem he had last season.

.

 

[Londoner]

Ronnie Rivers looks superior to Zach Evans from what I've seen so far.

Lots of good points raised, but this one in particular stands out.

I’ll be amazed if Rivers doesn’t make the 53.

 

[Loyal]

I noticed the same about Bruss on that play. He was completely owned and it wasn’t good to see.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I can't look at the Rams OL coach without thinking "Hagrid."

What I have noticed, unless the camera timing is lucky; he looks incredibly in tune with what is happening on the field… eyes locked on the game.

 

[fanotodd]

Nothing there I don’t agree with, xxxivwin, especially Avila. He looks promising but some bumps and warts are also coming (to be expected).

Bruss is just not catching any breaks. He can’t improve if he can’t stay on the field. I don’t see him making the 53.

I kept thinking Hampton was a DB! I wanted to know who the soon-to-be-cut #31 was—he was always late to the action. Hate the new number schemes, but it just shows how often he was downfield and not in the backfield.

I can’t wait to see Davis Allen next game. He had an awesome debut. Along with THT and Nakua, they have been the most impressive rookies so far.

 

[Londoner]

Along with THT and Nakua, they have been the most impressive rookies so far.

What about Ethan Evans? Punters are people, too.

 

[OnceARam]

Nothing there I don’t agree with, xxxivwin, especially Avila. He looks promising but some bumps and warts are also coming (to be expected).

Bruss is just not catching any breaks. He can’t improve if he can’t stay on the field. I don’t see him making the 53.

I kept thinking Hampton was a DB! I wanted to know who the soon-to-be-cut #31 was—he was always late to the action. Hate the new number schemes, but it just shows how often he was downfield and not in the backfield.

I can’t wait to see Davis Allen next game. He had an awesome debut. Along with THT and Nakua, they have been the most impressive rookies so far.

Hampton looked like a DB out there! Oh man, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[XXXIVwin]

What about Ethan Evans? Punters are people, too.

Yeah, Ethan definitely looks like one of the top rookies in this class. I have faith in his ability to pooch kicks inside the 20-- his very first punt against the Chargers was lofted perfectly for a Fair Catch at the 8 yard line.

IMO he just needs some better help from the punt coverage, which has been pretty terrible. Hope it gets better with the normal personnel. But he is booming the big punts with consistency.

 

[Londoner]

IMO he just needs some better help from the punt coverage,

Yeah- that would help. He also needs to work on placing shorter punts into coffin corner, instead of having them result in touchbacks.

 

[den-the-coach]

Re-watched a few plays in the first half in slo-mo while keying on a few guys. Some notes:

I'm sorry but on the play where Bruss got injured, he had his ass handed to him. #51 on the Raiders just obliterated him. Knocked him completely off his feet, which is why he had such a sharp angle on his ankle when he tried to recover. We do not want Bruss out there anytime soon.

I keyed on Nick Hampton on a few plays and unfortunately I didn't like what I saw. Worst of all, at least twice he was the very last guy on the D-line to react after the snap... maybe he's thinking too much? The knock on him was that he might be too small. Unfortunately that's what I saw. He just got "swallowed up" on several plays. When his first move didn't work, he got stopped stone dead with nowhere to go. To me it looks like he's gonna have to bulk up and add some power to his game, because right now if he can't beat you with speed to the outside he's got nothing else.



Thoughts and comments welcome

Excellent observations and we are both right on point with Bruss & Hampton. Bruss is just not ready for this level and I don't know if he every will be. Zach Thomas & A.J. Arcuri are both superior and need to be kept over Bruss. Nobody will claim him IMHO.

Also felt the same way about Nick Hampton, he looked so small out there, maybe he should change his number to 55 to look bigger. Anyway did not like what I watched from him either & I would keep both Kier Thomas & my preseason darling Zach VanValkenburgh over Hampton and I don't believe Hampton is anywhere near 6'3 as he is listed.

 

[Ramstien]

I agree on Hampton, I would just like to see Bruss given a little more time but like a great coach once said, "It is not about your ability it is about your availability". I fell the same way about Noteboom, unless he stays healthy all season and plays great, I will not shead a tear if the Rams decide to part ways with him.

 

[99Balloons]

Logan Bruss got steamed roll like John St Clair. I would be very surprised if Bruss is on the Practice Squad.

 

[den-the-coach]

I agree on Hampton, I would just like to see Bruss given a little more time but like a great coach once said, "It is not about your ability it is about your availability". I fell the same way about Noteboom, unless he stays healthy all season and plays great, I will not shead a tear if the Rams decide to part ways with him.

Concur on Noteboom, let him start at RG and see if he can hold up for a year and it also gives the Rams a backup LT too. If he can't hold up, he'll be gone in 2024.

 

[blackbart]

Bruss is essentially still a rookie even though he recovered from the knee in a great program.

I don’t see how he can be fully recovered just yet, he needs time. Having a complete evaluation on him right now is impossible.

I don’t see how any fans could possibly think they know enough about him after less than a full preseason combined, a different position and a new Oline coach.

He certainly isn’t ready to start but, there is no way he makes it to the PS.

There are some other bright spots, Allen looked really good catching the ball didn’t really notice his blocking but if it is as good as @XXXIVwin reported that could move him to TE2 quickly.

Hard to judge some of these guys in preseason but unless the AD Factor is huge, they will not get enough pressure.

This is going to be a long season and wins will be far and few between.

 

[snackdaddy]

I noticed the same about Bruss on that play. He was completely owned and it wasn’t good to see.

Same thing I saw. It looked to me like he was already getting knocked back before he turned his ankle. I thought going into this season Bruss just needed more time. But he looks like the weakest link out there. Might be another 3rd round mistake. Without any first rounders they can't afford to be whiffing on those too many times.

 

[Jacobarch]

i think they'll end up putting Bruss on the PUP before the first game. Seems like he's still dealing with that injury.

 

[Merlin]

Davis Allen had some GREAT run blocks. On a couple plays he really helped spring Ronnie Rivers. Stayed with his guy on a sustained block, several seconds, and took his guy out of the play. If his blocking is as good as his hands? Great. HE may be slow, but his hands and his blocking look REALLY promising.

Yeah he really did play well. Kid put on a clinic on how to get noticed from the depth chart in preseason. His outing was that good. To the point where I expect he'll get some early snaps in this third game. Hope he makes the most of them too.

Bruss is essentially still a rookie even though he recovered from the knee in a great program.

I don’t see how he can be fully recovered just yet, he needs time. Having a complete evaluation on him right now is impossible.

I don’t see how any fans could possibly think they know enough about him after less than a full preseason combined, a different position and a new Oline coach.

The problem here is that rookie OGs tend to translate and play quickly. Not only has that not happened with him, but he has had his ass handed to him on most snaps he's seen going back to day one.

This past offseason I disregarded any sense of alarm with the kid. I was confident he would factor in to that RG spot in year two, at the very least be a strong competitor for it. But he is nowhere near factoring in. And no matter how you slice that shit it ain't good. No way in hell a year 2 draft pick taken where he was taken should be that far off the pace.

I have nothing against him but this is a big boy league. He was expected to start year one by McVay. Was not anywhere near to that. Same deal year two in camp, I mean they made that call on him sliding to OT really early and before shit got padded. Basically what we've seen so far statistically spells out where this is going and it ain't good.

 

[RamWoodie]

I've seen none of the preseason games yet. Hulu crapped out on the 1st one. I had family in town for the 2nd game. Gonna try to watch it tonight.

Just a long way to saying I have no clue yet...so I'm feeding of threads from the game.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

Avila bullying a Chargers DL gif