​The Los Angeles Rams players continue to pile up with individual awards from gameday. Rams defensive back Blake Countess is the second recipient this season to be named Special Team Player of the Week in week three. Kicker Greg Zuerlein won it in week one for his efforts in helping the Rams defeat the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum.

The Rams played against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday, in the game the Rams special teams came up huge once again. Instead its the kicking field goals by Zuerlein or big returns by JoJo Natson, last game was the punt block team that did the honors.

The Chargers backed up deep in their territory; Rams Corey Littleton did it again by shooting a gap and blocking the punt by Chargers punter Drew Kaser. Countess was there to recover the ball in the end zone for the Rams touchdown, the second of his career from the same action.

Rams special team coach John "Bones" Fassel, has helped the Rams become one of the NFL’s best when it comes to special teams with his deception of plays. Head Coach Sean McVay retained Fassel after former head coach Jeff Fisher was fired, and the special teams have not lost a beat.

Rams will be without returner Natson, who suffered a broken hand against the Chargers, and Rams expect to have Countess as the kickoff returner. Let's see if the magical Rams special teams can continue to play at a high level and bring in another player of the week.

​Aqib Talib, the Los Angeles Rams starting cornerback, was placed on the IR today after sustaining an injury to his ankle. Talib's ankle was rolled up on by San Diego Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams after being hit by Rams linebacker Ramik Wilson. 

Initially diagnosed as a strain, the Rams medical staff were optimistic that it wasn't anything further serious. Talib sought for a second opinion with his injured ankle, and that second opinion required he undergo surgery to repair his ankle. He will undergo that surgery tomorrow the day after his designation to the IR.

The news is devastating to the Rams organization, especially earlier in that same game the Rams lost their other starting corner Marcus Peters to a calf injury. The team was decimated by injuries last Sunday to watch both of their starting cornerbacks go down, linebacker Dominique Easley, and starting left tackle Andrew Whitworth with a knee. 

These injuries compound on top of a Mark Barron's bad Achilles, who have remained to be active this season is starting to take a toll. Rams can afford the likes of Barron and Easley's injuries being out, but Talib is a five-time pro-bowler that fits perfect in a scheme of Wade Phillips defense.

The Rams will have to rely on Sam Shields and Troy Hill as the starters if Peters remains out and perhaps Nickell Robey-Coleman. The Rams will also have reserved defensive back Blake Countess and Dominique Hatfield whom they team just promoted from the practice squad. Coach Sean McVay has stated time after time after an injury, its the next man up.

Talib is eligible to return in eight-weeks from the IR, which will perhaps be the game played south of the border. The Rams will host the high flying Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City, Mexico, a game the Rams will need all their defensive backs on alert. 

Talib will join wide receivers, Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas on the IR, the two placed after week one. One of these two are eligible to return this season from the IR, and Cooper may have the upper hand, being that he's the reigning 2017 NFC Special Teams Player of the Year.

Rams will host the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the Thursday Night Football Game of the Week. 

​The Los Angeles Rams have activated defensive back Dominique Hatfield from the practice squad. Hatfield will be replacing the veteran starting cornerback Aqib Talib, whom the Rams have placed IR today. Talib injured his ankle last Sunday while the Rams were playing the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Talib's injury had enough damage that it required surgery in which he's scheduled to have performed tomorrow. Hatfield, another one of those undrafted rookies who played collegiately at the University of Utah, and also a Los Angles native, will be on the active roster first time this season.

Hatfield broke the 53-man roster last season with the Rams and ironically he faced his biggest challenge against the Minnesota Vikings. The Rams lost their starting cornerback Kayvon Webster to a concussion and backup cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman to a thigh injury in the first half, the Rams turned to Hatfield and Blake Countess.

Hatfield will seek to avenge his poor play from his game last season against the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota. Vikings receiver Adam Theilen had been just a bit too much for Hatfield catching the ball.
The play that put the fork in the turkey is when Theilen catches a quick out and shook Hatfield and was on his way for a 61-yard touchdown. The Rams went on to lose that game 24-7 to the Vikings breaking their four-game win streak.

Hatfield, with another season under his belt and with the divine wisdom of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and cornerbacks coach  Aubrey Pleasant, definitely will have the kid ready for this game when his number is called.

​The Los Angeles Rams play host to the Los Angeles Chargers today at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. A game that is expected to have a sellout crowd presumably to become the first "Battle of LA," between the die-hard Rams fans, and as many believe the Chargers fan base will show up in low numbers.

The Chargers are a seven-point underdog in today's game but don't think for once that they will be a pushover. They have talent on both sides of the ball as veteran quarterback Phillip Rivers will lead the Chargers offense. Phillips has been around the block for some years, as the Rams last played the then San Diego Chargers, he engineered a fourth quarterback comeback to beat the Rams.

Rivers have behind him in the backfield is running back Melvin Gordon the third year from the University of Wisconsin was selected eight picks after the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley. Gordon is just as an explosive back like Todd Gurley, who runs well inside the tackles and catch the ball well out the backfield. 

Three seasons ago, Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, was the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills and also served as the interim head coach when the Bills front office fired Rich Oneil. Lynn executed a great game plan against the Rams exposing a defensive line that was minus 75% of their starters. Going into the week, were Michael Brockers, William Hayes, and Robert Quinn who all were nursing injuries that landed them as inactive players. The Bills ran the ball inside the tackles, and LeSean McCoy ran crazy throughout the game.

Lynn's Chargers faces a different challenge today as his offensive line will already be without his starting right tackle Joe Barksdale, will see a defensive line that will feature three first-round selections and dominates offensive lines. A defensive line that features the 2017 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Michael Brockers, is enough to be concerned with before adding the final front seven of the Rams defensive squad.  

The defensive line has good substituting players who can come in provide pressure too such as former first-round selection, Dominique Easley, and Ethan Westbrook. Easley, converted to linebacker this season, plays the edge, and he creates havoc for the offensive side of the ball. A former interior defensive linemen, he has the strength and power to overwhelm any back or tight end that is assigned to contain him potentially. He has enough speed and strength to give any offensive linemen problems with one-on-one pass rushes.

Westbrook is the swiss army knife defensive lineman who can play anywhere on the defensive line. At the nose, he's too fast for any center to try to block and at the end or tackles spot, he a repertoire of moves to create pressure to the backfield.  We can't sleep on Matt Longacre, before injuring his back last season, he was a terror from the edge. He's provided that same spark this season as the Chargers will have to account for presences too.

To speak on the strength Rams secondary, a great challenged with receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Antonio Gates can cause some issues. Allen for the first time in his career played a full season had career numbers hauling in 103 receptions, 1,393 yards, six touchdowns, and was targeted 159 times by Rivers. No question that he's Rivers favorite target, but not to exclude his safety blanket in his tight end, Antonio Gates.

Gates an eight-time pro bowl selection has played his entire career with the Chargers. He lost his job to Hunter Henery last season as his stats were low. However, an injury to Henery, the Chargers after not resigning Gates, quickly renewed his contract to play again this season. Gates is not the verticle stretch he once was but, he can still catch the ball and can create a mismatched with any safety or linebacker. Injured Rams linebacker Mark Barron played well against Gates in the last matchup, but he's out again with his Achilles.

The Rams secondary is licking their chops for Rivers, especially Marcus Peters, who has intercepted River four times in his career. The Chargers possess two receivers who can threaten the Rams defense in Mike and Tyrell Williams, both who are 6'4" and can stretch the field vertically. The speedster Travis Benjamin, who is 
listed as questionable with a foot injury, is the one receiver who can kill the Rams defense in numerous ways if they don't account for him.

Benjamin can catch a short slant, the screen, or run the reverse and take it for the distance. His speed is so dangerous in a single man route and takes the top of the defense and for the long vertical pass. However, it doesn't stop there as he's a DANGEROUS return man as well. The Rams have a counter to that with two safeties in LaMarcus Joyner and John Johnson III, who have played well in that defensive backfield in both the pass and run. We're confident that Wade Phillips has prepared for the potentially deep ball from the Charger's offense.

Not too much to say about the Rams offense, as defenses have seen two different styles of playing calling in the recent weeks. We can make this very simple, stop Todd Gurley, who can weaken the offense. Wait--- but if they accomplished that, well then who will stop Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp--- oh and Gurley from the backfield? Derwin James and Casey Heyward, the best two defenders on the Chargers defense, can't cover all the Rams weapons.

I expect to see the second-year tight end Gerald Everett and receiver Josh Reynolds getting targets today and hurt the Chargers defensive backfield. It just not a certain on what Coach Sean McVay draws up on the offensive side of the ball today, but I will say, get your front row seats whether you are watching from home or the Coliseum along with your popcorn because it will be one great show. Chargers may start out fast, but the Rams defense will bear down and their offense will control the clock late.

Overview

This game will give us a real idea where the Los Angeles Rams are as a team at this point. Unlike the Cardinals and the Raiders, the Chargers are a legitimate playoff contender--some would even say Super Bowl contender. While oddsmakers have the Rams favored by a touchdown, the San Diego, err, I mean the Los Angeles Chargers are capable of beating any team in the NFL on a given Sunday. This game is a tough matchup, and the Rams can't afford to make many mistakes if they want to win the "Battle of Los Angeles" as some are calling it.

​Rams Offense Vs. Chargers Defense

The good news for the Rams is that they won't have to face pass-rushing demon Joey Bosa, who is out with an injury, but the Chargers still have much talent on defense, ranking 9th in the league going into this game. Those numbers might be skewed a little bit by having opened the season against Kansas City, arguably the best offense in the NFL right now. Todd Gurley had a pretty good game overall against the Cardinals last week, scoring three touchdowns, but ideally, the Rams would like to improve on the 42 yards rushing he logged. Arizona did a relatively good job of shutting down the run, one for the few things they did well in that game.

However, the Rams cleaned up in the passing game, with Jared Goff topping 300 yards and Brandin Cooks having a big day with seven catches for 159 yards. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp had some big catches as well, and the Rams offense did an excellent job of converting on third downs to keep drives alive. Even with Bosa out, the Rams need to contain defensive end, Melvin Ingram. One of the key matchups will feature Ingram against Rams tackle Rob Havenstein. While Ingram can line up at either end, he likely will square off against Havenstein most of the time.

The Chargers need to pressure Goff, or the Rams offense could well have another 30 point day, which likely would mean a Rams win. Chargers rookie safety Derwin James had a big day against the Bills last week, and the Chargers aren't afraid to use him on the blitz, something the Rams should be expecting. James leads the Chargers with two sacks, and he is fast and athletic enough to be disruptive. If the Rams O-line can give Goff time to throw and if Gurley can have his usual day running the ball, the Rams should be able to score enough points to win this game.

Edge: Rams

Rams Defense vs. Chargers Offense

The Rams defense has logged six straight scoreless quarters and has given up only 13 points in two games, but the Chargers offense is light years better than that of the Raiders or Cardinals.

Phillip Rivers is an old pro whom many consider a Hall of Fame candidate when his career is over.  His top target is usually Keenan Allen, who will probably line up in the slot and face Rams slot corner, Nickell-Robey Coleman. If Robey Coleman can win that, battle, I like the other matchups for the Rams in the secondary.

Teams have been leery of throwing at corners Aquib Talib and Marcus Peters, with good reason. I think they can contain the Chargers' Mike Willams and the rest of the receiving corps, assuming Rivers doesn't get all day in the pocket on passing plays. The Chargers also like to throw to running back Melvin Gordon, who has 140 receiving yards in two games. Gordon against Rams inside linebacker Cory Littleton is another matchup to watch.

It's looking like Rams linebacker Mark Barron will miss this game, but his absence hasn't been a big problem so far this season.

​ Could this be Aaron Donald's breakout game? It certainly wouldn't shock anyone. The Rams defensive tackle was pretty quiet against Oakland, then started to make his presence known against the Cardinals. He's capable of taking over a like few players in the league. It looks like Micheal Brockers will play for the Rams despite missing some practice time with a shoulder injury this week. The other key defender for the Rams could be linebacker Samson Ekubam. He had one sack last week, and if he can pressure Rivers from the outside along with Donald wreaking havoc inside, Phillip Rivers could have a very long day.

Edge: Rams (but only slightly)

Special Teams

Special teams is always a strength for the Rams, but the groin injury to placekicker Greg Zuerlein raises some concerns. His absence may mean the Rams are less likely to try (or make) field goals from 55 plus yards, and in a close game, that could matter. I do have more confidence in his replacement, Sam Ficken, than some other Rams fans do. He had a rough start filling in for Zuerlein last year, but then settled in and did a good job. He isn't Zuerlein though, and if the game comes down to him, it could be a nail-biter. The other injury is to kick returner Pharoh Cooper, but his replacement, JoJo Natson, looked great last week. The special teams is still a strength for the Rams, but their edge isn't what it usually would be.

Edge: Rams (slight)

Coaching:

The Rams almost always have an edge in this department, and I would check the box for them again this week. The Chargers new head man is Anthony Lynn, a former Bills assistant. Since he only has two games under his belt as a head coach, it's hard to say what he brings to the table. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, on the other hand, has a long track record as the Seahawks defensive coordinator and head coach of the Jaguars. His defenses are usually physical and well-disciplined. However, the Rams rarely get outcoached, and perhaps nobody in the NFL makes halftime adjustments like Sean McVay and Co.

Edge: Rams

Final Prediction
Even though I have given the Rams the edge just about everywhere in this game and oddsmakers favor them by a touchdown, this is not an easy game and the Chargers could very well pull the upset. In my opinion, they need to hold the Chargers in the low 20s and avoid costly turnovers.

Rams       30
​Chargers 23
​

Sean McVay, the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams announced earlier today the Austin Blythe remains as the starting right guard on the offensive line. Former starting right guard Jamon Brown returned from his two-game suspension this week, even agreed that Blythe should remain the starter. 

Blythe played very impressive and well in his first two starts against the Oakland Raiders and in the home opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Brown will play as a backup to Blythe as McVay continued with his comments:

​The Rams drafted Brown under the Jeff Fisher's administration along with the starting right tackle Rob Havenstein. Havenstein was taking in the second round and Brown in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, was the plane to shore up a strong offensive line. In Brown's rookie season, he landed on the IR after suffering lower leg fracture which ended as a season-ending injury.

Brown has always been considered the weak link of the Rams offensive linemen but has excellent size. Offensive line coach Aaron Kromer has done an excellent job in getting his men in preparation for game day. Just having eight linemen on the active roster, the system has worked great, especially with only seven in the first two games. 

The team is prepared to face off this Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the Battle of L.A., against the Los Angeles Chargers. Great news for the Rams, the Chargers will be without their star pass rusher Joey Bosa, who has been declared out with an injury. However, he's not the entire defense, and still, have stars on the defensive side of the ball.

Interesting to see how Coach McVay will use Brown, yes he will be in the jumbo packages and possibly can be used as a lead back in short yardage situations. However, the Rams are a seven-point favorite over the Chargers on Sunday but don't think they will not go down without a fight. 

Chargers have a veteran quarterback in Phillip Rivers, running back Melvin Gordon, veteran tight end Antonios Gates, and receiver Keenan Allen who can move the ball, but will they have enough against the Rams. Joe Barksdale, the Chargers starting right tackle and a former Ram, will be out against the Rams. Barksdale signed with the Chargers a couple of seasons ago as a free-agent after leaving the Rams. 

​The Los Angeles Rams have resigned Brandon Allen to their practice squad as it was expected one day later after being released from the active roster. The Rams were crafty in keeping Allen on the active roster sacrificing the slot to make a spot for suspended guard Jamon Brown to return.

Rams released quarterback Luis Perez from the practice squad, as many anticipated if Allen cleared waivers, the team was going to re-sign him to their practice squad roster. Allen takes over as scout quarterback and team continues to make moves shuffling their roster.
​

​The Los Angeles Rams have placed their reserved wide-receiver Mike Thomas on the injured reserved list. Thomas injured himself in the Rams Monday Night Football opener against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum. 

Reportedly after the game, the training staff disclosed that Thomas injury would require a significant amount of time to heal. In addition to Thomas, Rams also lost their 2018 Pro Bowl special team player Pharoh Cooper, who too placed on IR because of a severe ankle injury.  

Thomas injury appeared to more severe than initially diagnosed forcing the team to place him on the IR. The Rams will have eligibility for Thomas return to the roster in eight weeks to the discretion of the team. 

Thomas placement on IR created space on the roster spot for the Rams could sign and add kicker Sam Ficken. Ficken will replace Greg Zuerlein who injured his groin during the pre-game warm-up in their home opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

Updated 9/19/2018 3:30 pm PST
​
​​The Los Angeles Rams have promoted rookie preseason sensation KhaDarel Hodge from the practice squad. The team recently placed receivers Pharoh Cooper and Mike Thomas on the IR to paved the way for Hodge signing to the active roster.

Hodge may have tipped a hint yesterday that he was moving to the active roster after posting this tweet to Prairie View A&M Nation and to Coach Jacoby Anderson:

​As a prep, Hodge started at quarterback for the Mendenhall Tigers as a sophomore. During his junior and senior seasons, he compiled for over 3,000 passing yards and ran for over 2,000 yards, while scoring 68 touchdowns. Hodge was named to the Mississippi All-State Second Team Offensive Player by Clarion-Ledger and was named the 2013 Offensive MVP in the Benard Blackwell North/South All-Star  Classic.

Hodge started his collegiate career playing quarterback at Alcorn State as a freshman in 2013 but would transfer to Hinds Community College converting to a wide receiver. Recruited by Prairie View A&M where he committed to play in 2015. During his senior season, Hodge ​would break a school-record by recording 232 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Senior Day. On this day he would claim a Prairie View record that stood for nearly 50 years by Kansas City Chiefs great Otis Taylor of 198 receiving yards. He had a career-high with 48 receptions for 844 yards and 12 touchdowns.
​
Hodge finished third in the SWAC (Southwest Athletic Conference), with both in catches and receiving yards, average 17.6 yards per catch which were second, and first in touchdown receptions Hodge was named to the All-SWAC First Team his senior year, as well as Black College All-America accolades from both BOXTOROW and SBN/Power News Radio 
Network. He would end his three-year Panther career at Prairie View with 104 receptions for 1,797 receiving yards and scored 21 touchdowns.
At Prairie View’s pro-day, Hodge was time at an unofficial 4.39 40-yard time, a 38 ½” vertical jump, and 15 reps of 225 pounds with the bench press.

Hodge went undrafted from the 2018 NFL Draft but was on the radar by a few teams. At 6’2”, he a good-sized receiver with high speed and the ability to separate from defensive backs in the vertical game. He joins a crowded Rams receiving core that has the likes of Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, Josh Reynolds, and add in recently signed JoJo Natson.

In Hodges first preseason game, he caught a touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens, ending the game with two receptions for 14 yards. In week two of the pre-season against the Oakland Raiders, Hodge would make an acrobatic catch from quarterback Sean Mannion for 47 yards. Hodge finished the game with two receptions for 57 yards, leading all receivers in yardage. After playing in all four preseason games, Hodge finished with eight receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown.

​​When the Rams announced their 10-man practice squad roster, Hodge's name included on that list. Overjoyed with so much happiness, he again tweeted his success by praising his mother for sacrificing everything to make it favorable for her four children as a single parent. He mentioned she had suffered from a sleeping disorder but still managed to maintain food and shelter for her children.

Joining the 53-man roster doesn't guarantee Hodge will crack the 46-man roster on game day. However, this shows that head coach Sean McVay has gained Hodges trust in his talent.

In other moves, the Rams activated starting right guard Jamon Brown from the non-exempt list and re-signed defensive end Marcus Martin to the practice squad.

​The Los Angeles Rams once again have waived defensive back Isaiah Johnson for the third time this season. Johnson was signed to the practice squad a couple of weeks ago to create space for Aaron Donald return from holding out from his contract dispute.

Johnson was one of the ten players on the Rams practice squad, and in his place, the Rams signed former San Francisco 49er offensive lineman Darrell Williams Jr.  Williams signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent of the 2017 NFL Draft after playing collegiately at Western Kentucky. He was signed to the 49ers practice squad and promoted late last season to the active roster. 

The 49ers waived Williams Jr. earlier this summer, as he remained available for a job. He tried out for the team today and walked away with a role on the Rams practice squad.

​​The Los Angeles Rams waived quarterback Brandon Allen today, an anticipated move to clear a roster spot. Starting right guard, Jamon Brown is returning from suspension for violation of the league's substance abuse rule.

The league suspended Brown for the first two games this season, is eligible to return this week when the Rams host the Los Angeles Chargers in a battle of Los Angeles. Rams had been playing with only seven active linemen this season, a move that has worked to their advantage. 

Austin Blythe who has started the last two games played exceptionally well, and with Brown's return, you have to question does the Rams continue with Blythe? 

In addition to the Rams waiving Allen, they also waived rookie hopefully quarterback Luis Perez and tight end Temarrick Hemingway from the practice squad. Tough to see Perez released as he had a great following of Ram fans, and hopefully he's brought back later in the season. Expectations from the Perez release, granted if Allen clear waivers, expect him to sign back to the practice squad.

The Detroit Lions released the Rams former sixth-round draft selection Jamil Demby from their roster. Expect the Rams to be optimistic that Demby clears waiver as they will attempt to sign to their practice squad. 

​The Los Angeles Rams have resigned kicker Sam Ficken to replace Greg Zuerlein while he recovers from an injured groin. The Rams signed Ficken last season when Zuerlein placed on the IR with a season-ending herniated disc surgery.

In Ficken NFL debut last season against the against the Tennessee Titans, he after attempt. In that same game, he attempted a 35 -yard field goal that he bounced off the crossbar, perhaps creating a meltdown of confidence inside.

However, Ficken finished the season 2-3 on made field goals and 4-5 on made point after attempts. In the NFC Wild Card game, Ficken was money as he was 2-2 on made field goals and connected on his only point after attempt.

The team will rally around the kid as he too has a robust and powerful leg, and may be relied on at a crucial point. However, the way the Rams offense have been exploding, he'll prefer to kick the PAT's from many touchdowns scored.

​Updated 9/19/2018 9:50PM PST

Aaron Neary, a center on the practice squad for the Los Angeles Rams signed to their practice squad last week, was arrested for a DUI and a hit and run incident. 

The arrest occurred after the Rams victory of the Arizona Cardinals 34-0 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Reported that Neary had hit a bus stop, trash can, and a mailbox and fled the scene.  A witness to the accident called 9-1-1 and as the police spotted Neary and pulled him over.

Simi Valley PD perform a breathalyzer on Neary as his blood level was twice the legal limit of 0.08 that is allowed by the State of California.
Neary’s B.A.C. (Blood Alcohol Content) was at 0.17, at around 6:30 pm of his arrest and the Rams game just ended shortly before 4 pm. A question will surface on how did Neary's level reach so high in a two-hour period, such as was he drinking while on the sideline and locker-room? 

Rams added Neary to their practice squad after he became available from being cut from the Cleveland Browns. To make room for Neary, Rams released Jeremiah Kolone, whom they may resign at a later date. The Rams are conducting their investigation to get to the bottom of what happened, and Neary is still part of the team.

​Greg "The Leg" Zuerlein, kicker for the Los Angeles Rams, will be sidelined for the several weeks due to an injury. During the teams pregame warm-ups, he apparent sustained discomfort to his groin. 

The Rams were all set to play their home opener against the Arizona Cardinals, their NFC West rival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.  On the Rams first scoring drive, the offense remained on the field to attempt a two-point conversion. Too many felt head coach Sean McVay wanted to score as many points against the Cardinals defense.

On the next Rams scoring drive, the offense needed to settle for a field goal, and it was not Zuerlein, but the punter Johnny Hekker with the kicking honors. Hekker, promptly connected on a 20-yard field to increase the Rams lead by 11-points. 

Hekker, continued the game with double kicking duties as he also pinned two punts inside the 10-yard anchoring the Cardinals offense back in their territory. Hekker finished the game with one field goal and one point after the attempt adding to his Hall of Fame career.

Zuerlein, returning from season-ending surgery for a herniated disc in his back last season, sets him back yet another season. The Rams training staff will monitor him carefully and giving rest a few weeks, should return as strong as expected.

​

Overview

Oddsmakers have the Los Angeles Rams favored by 13.5 points in their home opener Sunday afternoon. Los Angeles looked like two different teams Monday night at the Oakland Coliseum stumbling through a first half that left them trailing the Oakland Raiders at halftime by a field goal before turning in a truly dominant performance second half en route to a 33-13 win. They really should beat the Arizona Cardinals, but this is the NFL, and you never know. Just to put things in perspective, the last time the Rams were favored by this much was Super Bowl XXXVI. We all know how that turned out.

Rams Offense Vs. Cardinals Defense

The Cardinals are transitioning to a 4-3 base defense under new head coach Steve Wilks after featuring a 3-4 alignment for the last few years. Wilks was previously the Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator so that the Rams may pull out some old game tape of his days at Carolina in preparation for this game.

While he doesn't have a Luke Kuechly with the Cardinals, Arizona features at least one star of similar magnitude in cornerback Patrick Peterson, who may consider the best in the best in the game at his position. If the dictionary had an entry for the phrase ''lockdown corner" it could have a picture of Peterson next to it. I guess that Peterson will spend much time covering Rams wideout Brandin Cooks, who had 87 yards Monday night and also drew a couple of significant pass interference penalties.

The problem for the Cardinals is that their secondary doesn't have any other players of Peterson's stature to shut down a deep and talented Rams receiving group. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp may not be quite as fast as Cooks, but they are capable of big games, and I don't know that Arizona has an answer for them.  The Rams also featured several jet sweeps on Monday night, featuring both Kupp and Woods as runners. Another aspect of the game Arizona will have to be ready for is defending the run with non-traditional ball carriers. 

​Arizona Does have a big-time pass rusher in defensive end Chandler Jones, who set a team record with 17 sacks last season and named to the AP All-Pro team. The Rams O-line, which was stellar on Monday night, needs to contain Jones. However, as with Peterson in the secondary, the Cardinals don't have another Chandler Jones up front. Unlike Peterson, the Rams can and probably will double team Jones if needed. 

Of course, any discussion of the Rams offense centers on running back Todd Gurley, arguably the best in the game. He brings back memories of Marshall Faulk regarding being a dual-threat runner and receiver. Yeah, he's THAT good. I don't see how the Arizona linebackers contain him, but coach Wilks made his name as a defensive coordinator, so we'll see what he comes up with in preparation.

Bottom line, the Rams offense has averaged 30 points a game under Sean McVay, and I don't know that Arizona will be able to hold them under that average. They may be doing well if they can keep the Rams to only 30 points.

Edge-Rams

Rams Defense Vs. Cardinals Offense

Sam "Injured Reserve" Bradford will face the team that drafted him for the first time, and it may not be a happy reunion.

Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh publicly said this week that he is looking forward to hitting Bradford hard and often. Given Suh's reputation, it's not an idle threat. Rams defensive-lineman Aaron Donald, meanwhile, is saying he's not happy with his performance against the Raiders. He's probably also not pleased with the $20,000 fine the league accessed him with for a hit on Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. I can't blame him for that one, not that he can't afford it these days. An angry Aaron Donald could be a nightmare for the Cardinals. Not many other defensive players--if there are even any at all--can take over a game as the AD can.

The Cardinals are expected to be without starting tackle Andre Smith, which is not good news for Bradford. Arizona may try to go "ground and pound" to protect their quarterback and keep the game close. Cardinal's running back David Johnson is a real offensive weapon and one the Rams need to keep under control. It looks like Rams inside linebacker Mark Barron will be out again this week, but fellow ILB Cory Littleton had a big night against Oakland and is looking like a rising star. Some reports are saying safety Marqui Christian may see the field as a linebacker on passing downs in Barron's absence. Since Barron is himself is a converted safety, that would make sense.

One of the more exciting matchups in this game features Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald--a sure future Hall of Famer-- against Rams corners Aquib Talib and Marcus Peters. If the Cardinals are going to pull the upset, they probably need a couple of big catches at least from Fitzgerald.

Considering the big night, the Raiders got from tight end Jared Cook on Monday night; you also wonder whether the Cardinals might feature tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. If so he and Rams Safety John Johnson could have an epic battle.

The Cardinals have outstanding talent in Fitzgerald and Johnson, and Seals-Jones can be dangerous as well. I'm just not sure their offensive line is capable of doing the job up front.

Edge: Rams

Special Teams

Rams placekicker Greg Zuerlein was the NFC special teams player of the week, and deservedly so. Need we mention--again--that Johnny Hekker is the best punter on the planet? If there is a concern for the Rams on special teams, it's the injury to kick returner Pharoh Cooper, who was placed on injured reserve last year. Cooper was named to the pro-bowl last season, and replacing those type of players I never easy. The Rams did sign JoJo Natson, who played well in the preseason, to replace Cooper. The only other real concern for the Rams special teams is a recent tendency towards committing "illegal blocking in the back" penalties on kick returns. Even so, the Rams probably boast the best special teams in the NFL. We haven't seen enough of Arizona's special teams under the new coaching regime to form too many opinions on them. They do have the longtime veteran, Phil Dawson, doing the placekicking. He's no Zuerlin, but he isn't bad, and he's used to the pressure that comes with the job.

Edge: Rams

Coaching

Since this is only Arizona's second game under coach Wilks and his staff, I'll reserve judgment in that regard. However, what I will say is that there may not be a better coaching staff in the NFL at preparing a team and making in-game adjustments than that of the Rams.

We saw that again on Monday night, as the Rams made changes at halftime that entirely changed the game against the Raiders. It's hard to say how much of an advantage this might be because we don't know how excellent the Cardinals staff is. However, I feel pretty comfortable in checking this box for the Rams.

Edge: Rams

Final Prediction

These kinds of games always make me a little nervous, because this is the NFL and because games are played on the field and not on paper. Upsets happen, and I have to think the Cardinals are a better team than they looked like last week against the Washington Redskins. Terry Bradshaw Was talking up the Cardinals before the season opener last week, and some folks think this team could surprise many people. They have outstanding talents in Fitzgerald, Peterson, Johnson, and Jones, and Bradford can be effective when healthy.

​Still, it's hard not to predict a Rams victory.

RAMS 37-21

​​Earlier this summer, the Los Angeles Rams were given the green light to wear their traditional "throwback" royal blue, yellow and white jerseys for additional home games. The Rams will wear those jerseys during five of their home games except for the first two games.

Anticipating the heat, the home opener against the Arizona Cardinals and the second home against the crossed town Los Angeles Chargers, Rams elected to wear the white away jersey with white pants and white stripe.

Rams will have one home game in Mexico City against the Kansas City Chiefs and will wear their "Color Rush" jerseys for that game. They also will wear those jerseys a few weeks prior on October 21st, against the San Franciso 49ers in another "Color Rush" featured game. 

So you fans that are planning to attend games and wear the corresponding colors you plan your attire now.

Per sources, Cleveland Browns is releasing wide receiver Josh Gordon! 

More to come on story!

​The Los Angeles Rams have resigned return specialist JoJo Natson to the team to replace Pharoh Cooper who appeared to get injured against the Oakland Raiders Monday Night. 

The Rams cut Natson as they needed to trim their roster from 90-man to 53-man roster. Natson returned the ball well in preseason as he ran hard and appeared to go the distance. Signing Natson makes perfect sense with his speed, McVay can even slip into the game as a receiver to run the jet sweep at times.

​Greg Zuerline, the kicker of the Los Angeles Rams, was named the NFC special teams player of the week. Zuerline has won this award for the third time in his career that he's won the award back in 2012 and 2017.

Zuerline connected on four of his five attempted field goals, of 20 (2), 28, and 55-yards in the distance. He missed his first attempt of 46 yards as he kicked it from the infield dirt of the Oakland A's, that sliced right. His field goals helped the Rams to continue to lead to over the Oakland Raiders in the Monday Night Football opener.

Zuerline's 2018 award will add to his previous won awards including him as the recipient of the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month twice last season.
​

The Los Angeles Rams resign C Aaron Neary back to their practice squad. Neary, who was cut by the Rams to finalized their 53-man roster was claimed one day later by the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns waived Neary last week, and the Rams with just eight linemen on their active roster needed to shore up more depth in the line.
In a corresponding move, Rams released OL Jeremiah Kolone, who was signed to the practice squad day after the 53-man roster established.

Sean McVay, head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, indicated in his press conference on Tuesday that wide receivers Pharoh Cooper (ankle) and Mike Thomas (groin), appears to be injured and will miss some games.

Cooper, the 2018 Pro-Bowl Specialist, appeared to be injured on his final return against the Oakland Raiders, a game the Rams won 33-13. Thomas, not clear on when he was wounded but specified that it was severe enough that he will miss significant time from the injury.

McVay wasn't confident if the Rams were going to replace Cooper with a player that's currently on the team in the return game or not. As a kickoff returner, the options could be reserved runningbacks, Justin Davis or Malcolm Brown. One other possible option could be rookie back John Kelly, who may be a better fit with his running ability.

As far as punt return duties, Cooper Kupp is the candidate to take over with those duties, however, do you take that risk? Veteran defensive back Sam Shields another possible player who can return kicks, both the punt and kickoff. At the University of Miami, he was a dual threat at the return which transcended over to the NFL with the Green Bay Packers.

Rams can ultimately look to sign a free agent receiver or return specialist. During camp, the Rams released JoJo Natson, a returner who runs hard and seem to take every return to the distance. Kenjon Barner another option was quickly signed by the New England Patriots just a moment ago.

Ex-Ram receiver and special team ace, Bradley Marquez, was released today to make room for Jamil Demby on the active roster. Marquez was great on special teams and did well as a receiver. Suffering a knee injury in 2016 that didn't fully heal, the Rams waived him with an injury settlement.

Have to watch the waiver wire to see precisely which direction that general manager Les Snead take, however, need to move fast as the Rams prepare for the home opener against the Arizona Cardinals at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The Los Angeles Rams have waived rookie offensive lineman Jamil Demby on Saturday to move Aaron Donald to the active roster. The Detroit Lions claimed Demby, and will be signed on their active roster after their Monday Night game against the New York Jets.

The Rams had anticipated the move, and was optimistic that he would clear waivers to move to their practice squad. Well the move didn’t work to their advantage and they will continue review the talent thats out there to bring to the team.
​

Mark Barron, starting inside linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams has not practiced all week. He has appeared on the week one injury report since the start of week one. Barron is listed as a inactive player tonight.

According to Rich Hammond, a writer for Orange County Register who covers the Los Angeles Rams, tweeted Friday that Barron has mentioned that he is still not sure if he'll play Monday night. 

Addressing the media on Saturday, head coach Sean Mcvay informed the press that Barron's status was doubtful for the game against the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum. In that very interview, he also suggested that Barron chance can increase considering the game is two days out. However, Barron status didn't change, resulting in him being placed inactive for the game.

The Rams will turn to their backup ILB Ramick Wilson who signed a one year deal to play with the Rams reuniting him with his college teammate and 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley. 

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Wilson in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. The Chiefs would release him only to add him to their practice squad, as he rejoined the team a month later he started two games. In 2016, he would start 11 games and an additional four more games in 2017 season.

 Wilson became a UFA (unrestricted free agent), when the Chiefs declined to tender him as an RFA (restricted free agent), ending his Chiefs career with 111 tackles (23 assisted), one interception; three deflected passes, one forced fumble, four fumble recoveries (two touchdowns), in 30 career games.

Undoubtfully, Wilson does have the same athletic ability as Barron, but he's a solid linebacker with the ability to stuff the run. A little heavier than Barron has the body to shed the lineman and defend gap to gap run plays. His speed may become a factor in the passing game, but he's talented enough to guard mediocre passing routes.

Rams will not be the first time that the Rams defense faced adversity with Barron not able to play. Last season, Corey Littleton started his first NFL game against the Tennessee Titans, a game he posted a career-high with seven tackles, his first career interception, and his first career sack. 

Littleton, the University of Washington star, went undrafted from 2016 NFL Draft, becomes another undrafted free agent to make the Rams roster and start on this Rams defense. Matt Longacre went undrafted from the 2015 NFL draft will start at the weakside linebacker of the defensive unit.  

Littleton will be the signal caller for the defense and will start opposite of Wilson when the game begins. You shouldn't worry too much on Wilson performance on the field; he'll have great help from his all-world defensive linemen with Ndamakung Suh, Aaron Brockers, and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Aaron Donald.

Wilson will be backed up by either veteran Bryce Hager or the Rams fifth-round selection of the 2018 NFL Draft Micah Kiser from the University of Virginia. Wade Phillips Rams defensive coordinator feels very confident with this young group, especially with Wilson start. When asked: Wade if you do have to rely heavily on Ramik Umm-- this week, what-- what's  your confidence level there and -- (Wade interrupts)

So, the "Son of Bum" walked away from the podium smiling and singing Houston Oilers, and blending in a chorus line of a good offense and defense. As we all witnessed from his interview, he's unfazed of Gruden's offense and seems to have a few tricks up his sleeve.

We'll have to wait one extra day for the Rams to play, and many fans well such as myself can anticipate the hype of the game. All eyes will be set on the defense and watch if they will man handle the Raiders offense as expected.

OVERVIEW

On paper, this game looks like something of a mismatch. Yeah, the Raiders are at home in the "Black Hole," but the Rams were 7-1 last year on the road and seemed to play much better away from home. The Oakland Raiders traded their best player, Khalil Mack easily, and their defense wasn't very good even with him last season at 20th overall. Still, this is the NFL and games on paper don't play. Will the Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay's decision to sit most of his starters during the preseason means the Rams come out a little rusty? And what will Jon Gruden cook up on offense after having been in the broadcast booth for the last decade?

Raiders Offense vs. Rams Defense

A few of the Raiders players were quoted this week as saying they may have to score on just about every possession to win this game, and that may well be true. A Rams defense that added Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters, and Ndamukong Suh and brings back arguably the best defensive player in the league in Aaron Donald and loaded with talent, but this will be their first game experience as a unit. Will there be growing pains? It's certainly possible. One of the more intriguing matchups puts Raiders receiver Amari Cooper against Rams corner Marcus Peters. The two know each other well from Peters' days with the Kansas City Chiefs, so each pretty much knows what to expect in this battle. The Rams front three of Suh, Donald and Michael Brockers is downright scary, and while there are some questions about the outside linebackers, Samson Ekubam and Matt Longacre, when you add in the coaching wizardry of Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips the potential is there for this to be an outstanding defensive front. The Raiders offense could get ugly if the Raiders O-line doesn't play well. The Raiders start a rookie, first-round draft choice Kolton Miller at the all-important left tackle position with former left tackle Donald Penn moving over to the other side. The Raiders offensive line considered the team's strength overall, but this will be a big test. Rams linebacker Mark Barron is expected to miss this game with a foot injury, but I'm not sure the Rams lose much with former Chiefs starter Ramick Wilson stepping in for him. Gruden was quoted this week as saying he wants to "run the ball like it's 1998." If Gruden's statement is true, who knows but if the Raiders can do that successfully, it would keep the ball away from the explosive Rams offense and could keep the game close. Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch has a groin injury. He's expected to play, but may not be 100 percent. Running back DeAndre Washington has been battling a knee problem, which may leave Oakland with Doug "Muscle Hamster" Martin and Jalen Ricard as healthy runners. Martin rushed for over 1,400 yards for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and 2014 but hasn't done much since then.

EDGE: Rams

Rams Offense vs. Raiders Defense

Acquiring Khalil Mack is where the trade could matter most in this game.The Rams led the NFL in scoring last year, while Oakland ranked 29th in points allowed..and that was with Mack, one of the best defensive players in the league. The Rams offense should be, if anything even better, with a year under their belt in the McVay system. One of the critical matchups (no pun intended), will pit Raiders rookie defensive end Arden Key against Rams All-Pro tackle Andrew Whitworth. If Key can get into the Rams backfield and disrupt their offense, Oakland could at least have a fighting chance of keeping the score down somewhat.  A lot of people think Rams are running back Todd Gurley could go off in this game, both running and receiving. One of the few free agents moves the Raiders made in the offseason was adding former Chiefs star Derrick Johnson at middle linebacker. But at 35, how much does he have left? I think Gurley has a significant advantage over this linebacking group. Raiders cornerbacks Rashaan Melvin and Gareon Conley are decent players. We'll see if they can contain Rams wideouts, Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. The answer may depend on how much of a pass rush the Raiders can mount. Rams slot receiver Cooper Kupp will likely face former Cincinnati Bengals Leon Hall. Hall has had a respectable NFL career but is on the downside at this point. Kupp could potentially be in for a huge night.

Edge: Rams (unamiously)

Special Teams

Specialty game is always a strength for the Rams, who may have the best special teams in the NFL. If Johnny Hekker isn't the best punter on the planet, I'm missing something. Placekicker Greg "the leg" Zuerlein is a threat to put points on the board from 55 yards out and beyond. Kick returner Pharoh Cooper was excellent last season as, minus a bad game in the playoffs against the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams excel in all phases of special teams and should have a big edge here.

Edge: Rams


Prediction

There are some "x-factors" in this game, including the unpredictability of what Jon Gruden may do on offense, possible overconfidence on the part of a still-young Rams team, and the possible rust factor on the part of the Rams starters due to a lack of preseason action. It does have something of the feel of a ''trap game," and a Raiders win would not be a shock, though it would be a bit of a surprise. Anywhere between five to seven points favored the last time I checked the Rams. I think they will beat the spread.

Rams 37 Raiders 24