RSS Rams Team Notes

[Los Angeles Rams]

5 half-baked Rams takes heading into the 2025 season

The Los Angeles Rams will begin their 2025 season on Sunday at SoFi Stadium when they take on the Houston Texans. We’ve gotten through the media cycle of rankings and anonymous quotes from NFL executives. As one final exercise before the season, I’m dipping my toe into a few ‘half-baked takes’. Essentially, these are takes that I believe in, but I’m not quite ready to stand on the table and pound my chest defending them. These are all things that I believe are within the realm of possibility, but there are still some things holding me back from jumping off the diving board from the deep end.

1. Jared Verse will be in the Defensive Player of the Year Conversation​

There may not be a Rams player that I am more excited to watch this season outside of second year edge rusher Jared Verse. Verse only had 4.5 sacks as a rookie, but that doesn’t reflect his full impact on the field. As a rookie, Verse finished fourth in the NFL in pressures and ranked third in Brandon Thorn’s True Pressure Rate. He also had the third-most high-quality pressures.

Verse may not win the Defensive Player of the Year and that shouldn’t be the expectation. However, I fully expect him to be in the top five players in the conversation for the award. Verse is someone that the Rams defense is making the focal point and 14.5 sacks is possible. That should put him in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation along with Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, and Aidan Hutchinson.

2. Rams defense will finish closer to top-10 than bottom-10 in EPA​

The narrative on the Rams defense all offseason has been that it’s not very good. There are certainly concerns to be had about the secondary. This is a defense that is threading the needle and hoping that a very good pass rush can lift up the back end of the defense. The linebackers also have questions as Omar Speights heads into year two and Nate Landman joins the group.

When it comes to the Rams defense, the concerns are valid. With that said, this is a defense that seemed to never be able to get past the narrative of what it was early in the season. In Weeks 1-5, this was a defense that ranked 32nd in defense EPA per play. However, from Weeks 7-17, they were 10th. After Week 12, they allowed more than 20 points in just two games that the starters played. They took over the wild card game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Rams may not be a top-10 defense, but they will finish closer to 10th than 23rd.

3. Davante Adams will lead WRs in touchdowns​

Ever since Cooper Kupp’s triple crown season and the beginning of 2022, the Rams have been missing a wide receiver that can consistently make plays in the red zone. That’s exactly what they have in Davante Adams. His body control and ability to go up and high point the football is among the best in the league. The expectation here is that McVay utilizes the back corner fade consistently and Adams is a benefactor of that.

Adams hasn’t surpassed 10 touchdowns since 2022, but he should see more opportunities in the Rams offense. It is within the realm of possibility that he ends up at 13 or 14 touchdowns which could be enough to lead all wide receivers. Adams ranked sixth in the NFL with 15 red zone targets in 2024. In a Rams offense with Stafford, he should be more efficient in the red zone.

4. Emmanuel Forbes is the CB2 by end of the year​

There may not be a player that the Rams coaching staff talked more positively about all offseason than Emmanuel Forbes. The Rams claimed Forbes off of waivers late in the year in 2024 and are hoping the former first-round pick can return to form. Based on reports in training camp, Forbes has regained some of his confidence. At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Forbes overtake Darious Williams on the depth chart.

Williams may start the season as the cornerback opposite Ahkello Witherspoon. However, this could be a Tre White situation in which by the time the bye week comes around, Forbes takes Williams’ spot. Williams has just one interception in his last two seasons combined with the Rams. His four pass breakups last year was his worst since 2019. The opportunity is there for Forbes.

5. This Rams team can win it all​

This Rams team has a lot of question marks when it comes to their depth and that’s especially the case on the offensive line. The front office is attempting to thread a needle in several different facets and hoping it pays off. However, this also may be the best team that the Rams have had since their Super Bowl season in 2021. If this team can stay healthy, they have the ability to win 13 games. This is a roster that can be a top contender in the NFC and win the whole thing.

With that said, those concerns are slightly holding me back. The ceiling might be the Super Bowl, but the questions in the secondary, Stafford being another year older, and the depth questions at certain positions leave some hesitancy. It’s why crashing out in the divisional round again might be more likely than the Super Bowl. Those depth questions make another 2022 season feel almost as likely as a deep playoff run.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-roster/125655/rams-hot-takes-2025-season

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Is C.J. Stroud going to become ‘that guy’ in the AFC?

The Rams take on the Houston Texans in their season opener on Sunday, meaning that C.J. Stroud is the first opposing quarterback of the year that L.A.’s fans get to debate “Is this going to be a problem or not?”

That’s a very complicated question to answer about Stroud given the yo-yo start to his NFL career with the Texans.

Do you think that Stroud will be an elite quarterback on the same level of Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Patrick Mahomes (and others) in the AFC or was his rookie season a mirage? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!

As the second overall pick in the 2023 draft, Stroud entered the league with even higher expectations than nearly every other quarterback in the AFC when they were drafted, respectively, including 32nd overall pick Lamar Jackson. Stroud threw over 40 touchdowns and six interceptions per season at Ohio State from 2021-2022, saving his best for last in the Buckeyes’ CFB semifinal loss to Georgia.

Stroud posted 348 yards and 4 touchdowns against the top defense in the nation, but more importantly silenced critics who said he’s too reliant on in-structure passing and can’t improvise positive plays on the move.

CJ Stroud vs Georgia

23/34
348 Passing Yards
4 Passing TDs
0 Turnovers
34 Rushing Yards
94.1 QBR
(#2 Pick in the 2023 NFL Draft)

How would you grade this performance A-D? pic.twitter.com/R1BY2hx5X1

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) July 26, 2023

That one game against Georgia sealed Stroud’s fate as a top-2 pick because without it he really might have slid. Maybe not outside of the top-10, but Stroud answered his biggest question that night and the Texans ran to the podium to take him over Anthony Richardson.

Cut to his rookie season, Stroud wins Offensive Rookie of the Year after posting 23 touchdowns and 5 INTs for a Texans team that had a bottom-3 offense the season before his arrival. Houston went to the playoffs and Stroud went to the Pro Bowl.

But 12 months after entering the 2024 season with sky-high expectations, Stroud’s back to square one when it comes to people questioning his ceiling as a passer:

Every single stat got worse from his rookie season — comp%, TD, INT, Y/A, passing rating, QBR, sacks, you name it.

The Texans responded by firing offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik (a popular HC candidate a year earlier) and replaced him with former Rams assistant Nick Caley. Reacting to a slew of receiver injuries, Houston drafted college teammates Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel on day 2 and traded for Christian Kirk. In addition to rookie left tackle Aireontae Ersery, running back Nick Chubb, and three new starting offensive linemen signed in free agency (Laken Tomlinson, Jake Andrews, Ed Ingram), the Texans believe that Stroud now has the supporting cast he needed to succeed last year that he didn’t have.

Is that really going to work? Was Stroud really not part of the problem? Or are the Texans merely overreacting (new OC, 7 new starters) to a bad season (they still went 10-7) because C.J. Stroud simply turned out to be the exact QB prospect that many people felt he was before the Georgia game?

C.J. Stroud is excited to go back to his home state of California and will have family and friends in the stands against the L.A. Rams this Sunday. He mentioned how dominant the #Rams defensive line can be and what they need to be ready for. #HTownMade #Houston #NFL @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/E0RrTL3HAp

— KPRC Nick Mantas (@KPRCNick) September 3, 2025

The AFC has no shortage of good quarterbacks, including also Justin Herbert, Drake Maye, Bo Nix, Geno Smith, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Aaron Rodgers, plus top pick Cam Ward in addition to the ones I mentioned earlier. Where will C.J. Stroud rank in that group in 3 years? Is he good enough to challenge the best of the best or is he doomed to a career like TLaw where maybe we’re always questioning if he’s the problem or it’s somebody else’s fault.

Jump in the comments to share your opinions on CJ Stroud!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...5709/rams-texans-cj-stroud-elite-quarterbacks

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Who is the better play-caller: Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay

When it comes to the top offensive play-callers in the NFL, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan get consistently mentioned. With the NFL season right around the corner, the final preseason rankings and anonymous quotes from executives are getting published. Earlier this week, two polls ranking offensive play-callers got released.

In a recent poll by The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, 31 NFL coaches were polled on the top offensive play-caller. With 25 votes, McVay was at the top with Shanahan behind him at 18. However, The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen polled six defensive coordinators and defensive coaches around the league. In Nguyen’s poll, it was Shanahan who came out on top with McVay in second.

Said one defensive coach on McVay,

“I think he can just see it live the best. He has a full Rolodex of plays. He can get to anything on his call sheet, but he can also get to anything in his head. If he needs to adjust in-game, he can completely come up with a new game plan on the spot. So it’s almost to the point now where he’s seen a lot. He has such a good memory of everything, with 12 years of experience calling plays and reacting to stuff. If you’re playing this (defense), he’s going to go to this … and he can do it in a second. That’s weird that he can just adjust so easily.”

At the end of the day, the rankings themselves don’t necessarily matter. Most rankings this time of year are simply offseason content to get to the regular season. Still, it is eye-opening to see what other coaches that are often on the other sideline have to say.

For example, one of the biggest critiques of McVay is that he doesn’t adjust. However, based on the quote from a defensive coach, that may not be fully accurate from the perspective of the other sideline. It’s important to remember that teams install a specific game plan every week. The entire playbook is rarely available as teams don’t practice the entire playbook. Still, McVay has the ability to adjust in-game and get to specific personnel groupings to take advantage of certain matchups and create different looks.

Teams aren’t going to an entirely new game plan in-game. It’s possible that an offense can go back to something that was previously installed, but teams aren’t completely shifting the game plan from the sideline. That’s why teams prepare during the week.

The interesting part with these two rankings specifically isn’t that Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan ended up at the top. Most would consider McVay and Shanahan the top two offensive coaches in the NFL. What is interesting is that in two different polls by the same outlet, McVay topped one list while Shanahan topped the other. Said one defensive coordinator on Shanahan,

“They challenge all your rules. They’re obviously 21 personnel, but whatever you try to do, they always have an answer for it because they can align in anything out of that personnel…He understands your rules and he tries to manipulate your rules.”

Whatever order McVay and Shanahan are in, there’s no denying their impact around the NFL. On Nguyen’s list of 10 offensive play-callers, two of them are McVay and Shanahan and three more of them are from that tree. Those other three are Kevin O’Connell, Matt LaFleur, and Liam Coen.

Choosing between Shanahan and McVay is splitting hairs. Most in the media would probably have Shanahan ahead of McVay, but it’s very close. At the end of the day, they are undoubtedly two of the best at what they do. They are the two that the league most respects when it comes to calling a game. Neither are perfect and each have their own strengths and weaknesses. That’s also what makes their rivalry that much better.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/125735/nfl-playcaller-rankings-rams-sean-mcvay

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams-Texans final score prediction

The Los Angeles Rams host the Houston Texans on Sunday at 4:25 ET in Week 1 of the NFL season, and likely because the Rams are at home, they appear favored by three points, and I too am going to pick L.A. to come out on top, but it shouldn’t be easy.

Food for thought, if Matthew Stafford weren’t playing, would the Rams still be favored?

This game will have big implications for the Rams if Stafford comes out of the gate lackluster, or sustains any type of injury, on the flip side, even in a loss, if Stafford comes out sharp while staying off the ground, then the team and fanbase can build on that.

With 17 total games, L.A. can lose one (or a few), but with only 17 games total, each game matters more than any other plain old regular season contest in sports. Week 1 for the Rams can be a spring board or a pitfall, and the Texans are a great challenge for them to start their 2025 campaign.

For Houston, they’ve looked the part of a top team in the AFC the last two years, but will they take a step forward? Will they become one of the best teams in the NFL and the top team in the AFC? With CJ Stroud, this team can do a lot, but Stroud is human, he’ll need his offensive line to greatly improve upon last year’s performance, and he’ll need his defense to help him out when the offense falters.

The Texans should be good, but how good? Fair question.

Winning factor:​

Rams defensive line over Texans offensive line.

Final score prediction:​

Rams win 24-20 in a tight game that Houston can snatch away, but L.A. does just enough to start their season 1-0.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...125698/rams-texans-final-score-prediction-nfl

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Opening Night Football game thread

The Philadelphia Eagles take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday to open the 2025 season. Jump into the comments section below to talk about NFL’s opening night with your fellow Rams fans.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/game-day-threads/125760/sunday-night-football-game-thread

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Game, Set, Matt: Rams have full roster on Sunday

After weeks of waiting for two of the most important players on offense to return to the practice, the Los Angeles Rams expect to have the entire 53-man roster at their disposal against the Houston Texans on Sunday, including Matthew Stafford and A.J. Jackson. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters on Friday that everyone is available to face the Texans.

With injuries that tend to be as unpredictable as a 37-year-old NFL back or blood clots, who knows what the future will hold after Week 1. But the Rams couldn’t have asked for better news heading into their season opener.

Sean McVay said everyone will be available to play on Sunday against the Texans.

— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) September 5, 2025

On the other side of the field, the Texans will not have starting receiver Christian Kirk, who they acquired in a trade over the offseason. Another offseason acquisition, starting guard Ed Ingram, was limited in practice with an abdominal injury. Receiver/Returner Braxton Berrios has also been missing practices and could miss Sunday’s action.

Texans WR Christian Kirk has a strained hamstring that is expected to sideline him for at least Sunday’s opener vs. the Rams and possibly longer, per sources. One source estimated it to be a two-week injury for Kirk, but the Texans will be “cautious” with him. pic.twitter.com/2nkyFGUhI8

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 4, 2025

The Rams have everybody ready to go for Sunday. Now they need to take advantage of these windows when they are open.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...05/rams-injury-report-texans-matthew-stafford

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams fans very confident in team before Week 1

Rams fans are confident that the team is headed in the right direction leading into L.A.’s Week 1 matchup against the Houston Texans. In this week’s SB Nation Reacts poll, 95% of you voted that yes, you are confident that the Rams are headed in the right direction.

It is usual for fans to be confident in any team when their record is 0-0, so to what degree will fans maintain that confidence if the Rams lose to the Texans in Week 1, even if it’s just unlucky? There’s not much room to go up but plenty of room to look down.

The Rams have been surprising fans consistently since they won the Super Bowl in 2021.

• The 2022 Rams were much worse than expected
• The 2023 Rams were much better than expected
• The 2024 Rams were probably about as good as expected

Many have pegged L.A. as top-3 favorites in the NFC because no other team gave the Eagles a run for their money in last year’s playoffs. On the other hand, doubts about Matthew Stafford’s ability to stay healthy over the course of a long season have lingered into the weekend and probably won’t go away any time soon.

It seems clear that the Rams are one of the best teams in the NFC and not just because of Stafford and Sean McVay. L.A.’s defense is young and the defensive line could be the best all-around unit in the league in terms of quality depth, top-to-bottom. This poll reflects that confidence and now the Rams have to prove the fans right.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...ams-fans-very-confident-in-team-before-week-1

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

College football Saturday games thread

Want to talk about college football with other Rams fans? Here is a place to do it! The Rams have two first round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, so which prospects will you be keeping an eye on this week and for the rest of the season?

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/game-day-threads/125821/college-football-saturday-games-thread

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams-Texans first half game thread

The Los Angeles Rams host the Houston Texans with an expected kickoff time of 4:25pm ET. You can check out our how to watch guide right here!

The Rams have been favored to win this one throughout the week as they start their season at home, and are coming into this game about as healthy as they can, while the Texans are entering this game a bit beat up, however Houston’s defense should still be able to put pressure on Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

If L.A.’s defense can play with a lead, and let their pass rushers run free towards CJ Stroud, then L.A. will have a great shot at winning this game, but odds are the Texans are trying to do the same thing, shoot for a lead, and let their studs run free at Stafford, so this might be the biggest “pick em” game of Week 1 as the two sides appear pretty well matched and poised for a similar gameplan.

Of course, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth, so gameplans may go to the wayside quickly, the only way to see how this one unfolds is to tune in!

Enjoy the first half of the game, and stay on the lookout for the second half game thread promptly after the first half comes to a close.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/game-day-threads/24480816/rams-texans-first-half-gamethread-2025

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Random Ramsdom: Share your takeaways from Week 1!

We still have another NFL game to go before we say goodbye to Week 1, but so far, what are your takeaways? You can talk about the Los Angeles Rams, or any team and any game you want. Maybe you just want to talk about Nate Landman’s takeaway against the Houston Texans. I am not sure; it’s up to you!

PICTURE PERFECT PEANUT PUNCH!

@NFLonCBS | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/k3tlABj9Kc

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 7, 2025

Would you kindly leave some comments on this lovely morning/day? It’s alright if not, but I do enjoy seeing the comments, and I am actually off today so I may even be able to chime in!

Either way, thanks for checking out Turf Show Times, comment on whatever you want and have a great Monday!

2025 NFL season, Week 1: What We Learned from Sunday’s games (nfl.com)​

“Early Window

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23, Atlanta Falcons 20
• Cincinnati Bengals 17, Cleveland Browns 16
• Indianapolis Colts 33, Miami Dolphins 8
• Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Carolina Panthers 10
• Las Vegas Raiders 20, New England Patriots 13
• Arizona Cardinals 20, New Orleans Saints 13
• Pittsburgh Steelers 34, New York Jets 32
• Washington Commanders 21, New York Giants 6

Late Window

• Denver Broncos 20, Tennessee Titans 12
• San Francisco 49ers 17, Seattle Seahawks 13
• Green Bay Packers 27, Detroit Lions 13
• Los Angeles Rams 14, Houston Texans 9”

"Matthew Stafford was in great command all day." pic.twitter.com/M9CDZukevI

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 8, 2025

5 Key Takeaways From Texans’ 9-14 Loss vs. Rams (si.com)​

“The Texans had two critical moments in the final five minutes of the game that put them within arm’s reach of taking a lead. An Azeez Al-Shaair forced fumble and a major roughing the passer call on Los Angeles had Houston in Rams’ territory following the two-minute warning.

Then, disaster struck, as Dare Ogunbowale would catch a pass for just over a five-yard gain that would be fumbled, recovered by the Rams, and wind up as the dagger for Houston, a turnover that was Ogunbowale’s second-ever fumble of his eight-year career.“

Cue the Week Won Victory Speech! pic.twitter.com/RTdrGcUaXf

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 8, 2025

2025 NFL season, Week 1: What We Learned from Sunday’s games (nfl.com)​

“Rams come out victorious in the battle of elite defenses. Houston and Los Angeles entered the season boasting two of the most menacing defenses, highlighted by game-wrecking fronts. The clubs didn’t disappoint, with the defenses consistently stepping up. If not for several big plays by the Texans defense to slow Stafford & Co., including an Azeez Al-Shaair forced fumble late to give Houston one more shot, the Rams might have run away with the contest. In the end, it was L.A.’s defense that forced the biggest plays. The Rams pressured Stroud on 41.2% of his dropbacks, Cobie Durant made a highlight reel interception, and linebacker Nate Landman helped seal the game with a punchout fumble as the Texans were driving deep in the fourth quarter. Both defensive units boast playmakers. The Rams’ herd made more on Sunday.“

And I oop… pic.twitter.com/zmDsUsun4P

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 8, 2025

Respect. pic.twitter.com/gZNP6B0VB5

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 8, 2025

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/125880/rams-news-week-1-takeaways-nfl

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

The good, the bad and the ugly: Rams’ D picks up right where it left off

The Los Angeles Rams managed to start the 2025 NFL season off on the right foot with a 14-9 win over the Houston Texans. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but the Rams came away with a hard-fought dub over a team expected to have one of the league’s best defenses. With everyone riding the victory high, here is the good, the bad and the ugly in L.A.‘s Week 1 performance.

The Good​

The Rams’ defense already looks like an elite unit​

Most of the talk leading into this game was about how good the Texans’ defense was. That was fair, as Houston should finish this season with a top-five unit. However, more people need to give L.A.‘s D more credit, as they held one of the game’s top young signal callers in check all afternoon.

The offense was off to a sluggish start in the first half, and the defense did its job, preventing the game from getting away from them early. New addition Nate Landman was the man with the Texans driving to win the game late in the fourth quarter. Landman forced a big-time fumble off Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale, which Braden Fiske recovered. Ballgame.

What a play by Nate Landman to force the fumble

HOUvsLAR on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/xrmMof58ca

— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025

Dating back to last season, including the playoff win over the Vikings and excluding the Week 18 finale, Los Angeles has held five of its last six opponents to single digits. That number could grow to six with the team facing the woeful Tennessee Titans next week.

Houston was breaking in a new offensive coordinator, but there is nothing to take away from the performance of the Rams’ defense. If it can keep up this high level of production, L.A. should be joining the Texans atop the NFL’s defensive standings at the end of the season.

New number, who dis? Puka Nacua is still an absolute beast​

The third-year wideout just barely missed out on having back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his career last season. Well, it certainly seems like Puka Nacua is making up for lost time, head wound be damned.

Nacua caught 10 of his 11 targets for 130 receiving yards, making his presence felt early and often throughout the afternoon.

Puka Nacua caught 10 of 11 targets for 130 yards in the Rams' Week 1 win against the Texans.

Nacua aligned in the slot on a career-high 44.4% of his snaps and was targeted on 7 of his 14 slot routes, resulting in 6 receptions for 78 yards.

Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/WxZq3C0Icx

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 7, 2025

The BYU product caught the pass that put Matthew Stafford over 60,000 for his career—more on Mr. Stafford in a moment—and is simply a menace for opposing defenses to cover. Nacua has 14 career 100-yard games in 29 career regular season games played. Craziness! He also joined some pretty stellar company after Sunday’s showing:

Rams WR Puka Nacua now has 2,606 career receiving yards. That surpasses Ja’Marr Chase (2,540) for the third-most by a player in his first 30 games in the Super Bowl era.

It trails only Odell Beckham Jr. (3,035) and Justin Jefferson (2,735).

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) September 8, 2025

No matter the number Puka has on his jersey, he’s still going to produce. Pairing him and Davante Adams is already off to a great start, as the All-Pro free agent acquisition added 51 yards on four receptions. May that continue throughout the year.

Matthew Stafford joins an elite club​

Sean McVay said it best when speaking to reporters after the game: “Matthew (bleeping) Stafford was in great command all day.” Okay, I added the bleep in there for dramatic effect, yet McVay hit it right on the head. Stafford, who had Rams fans concerned all offseason regarding his health, had an incredibly efficient outing once he got going.

On Sunday, Stafford became the 10th quarterback in NFL history to amass 60,000 passing yards. He tied Matt Ryan as the second-fastest player to ever reach that mark.

Welcome to the club Matthew Stafford pic.twitter.com/NVH7lCIcHa

— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) September 7, 2025

Stafford joins legends including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers. All of those guys are either in the Hall of Fame or will be on their way to Canton shortly. Enough with the debate already: Matthew Stafford is a future Hall of Famer, and should be a first-ballot one at that. What more does the guy have left to prove?

The Rams QB did everything asked of him, and this game should help ease the nerves of some fans overly concerned about his back injury. Stafford looked great in the opener and should be able to maintain that momentum moving forward, especially as the offense continues to gel.

Per Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports, the Eagles are the lone team to beat Stafford and the Rams in his last 10 starts. Revenge is a dish best served cold, which is what Stafford will get a chance to do in Week 3 against the very squad that ended L.A.’s season in 2024.

The Bad​

Run defense still needs some work​

Last season, L.A. gave the 11th-most rushing yards in the league, allowing an average of 130 yards per game.

Against Houston, the Rams allowed 114 yards on 27 total carries, good for a 4.2 average. Nick Chubb led the way with 60 yards on 13 attempts. Look, it’s great to see Chubb on the field again following his devastating knee injury from two seasons ago. Yet, allowing someone who has played in just 11 games since 2023 to put up a solid rushing performance like that is a little troubling.

The Rams have emphasized all offseason to improve the run defense, given what Saquon Barkley did to them twice a year ago. Again, it’s early, but things must tighten up, or it’s going to be more of the same in Hollywood.

The Ugly​

First half offense was miserable to watch​

The Rams are making it a habit of starting a game off slow, and it’s got to end soon.

Following that wild shootout win over the Bills last December, L.A. has been held under 20 points in four of its last six matchups with the starting offense on the field. A high-level defense has been the difference in the team pulling off all those low-scoring affairs.

However, at the same time, we know the Rams have the offensive pieces to stretch the field, and points have come at a premium. The team was held scoreless until Kyren Williams scored a touchdown with 53 seconds left to go before halftime.

Part of the disjointedness at the start was reasonable since Stafford had missed almost a month of training camp with this injury. Either way, the issues with scoring predate his nagging back problems. You can only put so much stress on a great defense before they wind up breaking.

Thankfully, the Texans were offensively challenged, but L.A. must clean this up before facing teams with much better offenses. During Stafford’s postgame interview, he brought up a moment where he told Davante Adams, “We’re only going to get better from here.” Hopefully, that is indeed the case.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a.../rams-texans-takeaways-defense-stafford-nacua

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

What are your Week 1 NFL hot takes?

Viewers were stunned on Monday Night Football as J.J. McCarthy turned around a bad NFL debut into one of the best premieres of all-time: After a rocky first half, McCarthy became the first player in history to score three fourth quarter touchdowns in his first career game, helping lead the Vikings to victory over the Bears after a loss seemed all but certain.

JJ McCarthy and the Vikings
pic.twitter.com/A2QneMhfte

— Complex (@Complex) September 9, 2025

Is McCarthy going to be one of the best QBs in the NFC this year, which is really his first season after missing all of 2024 with a knee injury?

What about Daniel Jones in the AFC? Is Jones poised to be this year’s Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, or Baker Mayfield? Jones completed 76% of his passes and posted a 115.9 passer rating in a win over the Dolphins and set a new career-high for passing yards in a first half. Meanwhile, in Justin Field’s Jets debut he posted one of the three best passing days of his career (16/22, 218 yards, 10.82 adjusted Y/A, 3 total touchdowns) and signaled that maybe New York isn’t as bad as we thought.

Daniel Jones and the Colts today:

1st Drive: FG
2nd Drive: TD
3rd Drive: TD
4th Drive: FG
5th Drive: FG
6th Drive: TD
7th Drive: FG

No other QB this CENTURY has scored on every possession of a game. #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/5Jbryajh4E

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) September 7, 2025

On the flip side, Bo Nix was expected by many to officially check-in as a top-10 quarterback this season. Instead, he may have been the worst all-around quarterback of the week even though the Broncos won. That being said, Denver beat the team that had the number one pick after last season and Nix was still this bad.

Yikes: Bo Nix was the worst graded QB this week.

• 43 dropbacks
• 0 Big Time Throws
• 4 Turnover Worthy Plays

They played the Titans… pic.twitter.com/KzYZRRud2s

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 8, 2025

Is Bo Nix bad?

Is Daniel Jones good?

Are the Raiders going to make the playoffs and are the Chiefs going to miss the playoffs? Will Mike McDaniel get fired before you can answer any of these questions? Is Liam Coen the best new hire of 2025?

It’s only been one week so that’s actually when hot takes and overreactions are THE BEST. You watched and followed everything that happened in Week 1, so what are your hot takes and overreactions from the start of the 2025 season? Share them in the comments below and rec all your favorite answers.

They can be Rams specific (what are your RAMS hot takes?) or not.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-history/126018/week-1-nfl-hot-takes

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Going to SoFi this season? Consider this tailgate experience.

If you’re going to SoFi Stadium this season to see the Los Angeles Rams, it may be worthwhile to consider the VIP pre-game tailgate by Bullseye Event Group. It’s a premium experience that provides all-inclusive with food and drinks (alcoholic beverages too). The tailgate starts four hours prior to kickoff and then concludes 30 minutes before the game starts so fans can head to their seats.

The event is hosted in a new venue on-site at SoFi, CineVita, that has air conditioning, lounge seating, and an outdoor area with umbrellas for shade.

The price is not for everyone. Adult tickets are $135 each and kids can get in for $65 per head. Tickets to the game as well as parking are separate from the tailgate.

What’s included? I think the better question is what isn’t included.

• Red carpet VIP entrance
• On Sunday’s, catch the early games on large video walls
• Scenic views in Lake Park
• DJ
• All food and drinks (bar)
• All you can eat premium food stations crafted by a former winner of MasterChef
• Outdoor games & activities
• Xbox gaming area

These are some of the food options available at the tailgate experience:

• Ortega taco station
• Grill station with wings and sliders
• Potato skin bar
• Loaded Hummus & Salad
• LA chicken and waffles
• Burgers

In terms of premium seating, these are your options:

• First come, first serve cabanas surrounding the stage with view of DJ and video wall
• Balcony seating
• VIP booth for six guests; limited in quantity and $500 to reserve a table

Check out the social media posts below of fans who attended the tailgate during opening weekend:

Those of Us in the @SoFiStadium @RamsNFL Pink Lot Tailgating don’t get to experience this atmosphere. pic.twitter.com/YrBbud1PsC

— Da'Mon Jackson (@RamsDEJ) September 9, 2025

@SoFiStadium VIP Tailgate Party! Lets get it!!!! #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/WtNTTVDb5S

— Chris A (@chrisaznar) September 7, 2025

@heavyhanded_la welcomed Rams fans with open arms and BURGERS at the Week 1 Rams VIP Tailgate! pic.twitter.com/pD1BJI6y8x

— Bullseye Event Group (@Bullseye_Event) September 9, 2025

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...this-season-consider-this-tailgate-experience

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

‘New Puka’ just as good as the old Puka

The Rams moved Puka Nacua into a new receiver role in Week 1 and the third-year wideout was as good as ever, if not better. He is the fifth round pick that keeps on giving.

Nacua played out of the slot position on a career-high 64% of his routes against the Houston Texans, a byproduct of L.A. signing Davante Adams. He finished with 10 catches for 130 yards and did so in only 38 snaps, per J.B. Long of Rams media:

The Davante Difference was exactly as forecast in terms of Rams alignment: Puka Nacua set up in the slot on a career-high 64% of routes in Week 1.

10 catches (T-most in NFL) for 130 yds (2nd) in just 38 snaps (missed ~ 15 due to injury). pic.twitter.com/PbdYIc2B3Q

— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) September 10, 2025

Nacua’s 130 yards is the sixth-best total of his regular season career, his 13th game with over 100 yards in barely more than two years. It is his fifth career game with double-digit receptions.

Whether he’s playing next to Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, or nobody significant, whether he’s an X, Z, or Y, Puka Nacua has proven to be one of the top receivers in the NFL.

Puka Nacua all day every Sunday pic.twitter.com/u3SYTA3eo4

— Ben Criddle (@CriddleBenjamin) September 9, 2025

Puka Nacua (9.51 TxS, 39.3% Tgt Share, 47.1% AirYds) & Davante Adams (7.39 TxS, 28.6% Tgt Share, 31.7% AirYds) dominated usage

Adams fantasy output lagged behind, sitting below the trend line suggests positive regression is coming with if the usage conts
#TrustTheTrinity pic.twitter.com/XAGqRKOtK4

— Ray G (@RayGQue) September 10, 2025

Nacua added 51 yards after the catch, per Next Gen Stats:

An absolute masterclass today from Rams WR Puka Nacua. pic.twitter.com/1RW9sL8GgR

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) September 8, 2025

Puka Nacua is going to break fantasy leagues this year

+ 37.9% target share
+ 55.0% threat rate
+ 0.52 TPRR
+ 6.19 YPRR
+ 0.333 1D/RR

all in a game he missed time during due to injury pic.twitter.com/uqwyN19L4C

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) September 8, 2025

The Rams landed a very special player out of BYU in the fifth round of the 2023 draft. His 13 games with 100 yards is tied as the most by anyone since he entered the league and that’s even with Nacua missing time due to injury.

Since entering the league in 2023, Puka Nacua has 13 regular season games with 100+ receiving yards, which is tied for the most in the NFL in that span according to TruMedia. pic.twitter.com/nNssA4fs3l

— Los Angeles Rams PR (@TheLARamsPR) September 8, 2025

That’s one thing that L.A. has to keep in mind.

Nacua’s greatest asset is also his kryptonite; he’s a fearless receiver who will sell out his body and play physical in order to make any play. That’s awesome and it’s what makes him great, but as we’ve already seen this season, Nacua’s physical style can also cause him to miss playing time. The Rams will need to continue to share the ball, whether that’s more targets to Adams, Jordan Whittington, Xavier Smith, or, and here’s a weird idea, using that player who they spent $10 million on this year.

Nacua has been the Rams slot player instead and he’s already making the most of it.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-a...a-nacua-rams-slot-usage-davante-adams-targets

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

The Rams may have found a new identity

The Los Angeles Rams offense looked solid in their 14-9 victory over the Houston Texans this past Sunday, and with offensive guru Sean McVay at the helm, that was to be expected. However, what was more impressive was the showing of Chris Shula’s defensive unit on the other side of the ball. LA was able to hold Houston scoreless in the second half while also not allowing the Texans to make it past the Los Angeles 15 yard line the entire game. This stellar defensive play, which really began to stand out during the back half of 2024, seems to have made it’s way to 2025 and it begs the question, have the Rams become a defense first team?

Don’t get it twisted, Los Angeles boasts one of the most powerful offenses in the league. That makes it hard to question LA’s commitment in any way to that side of the ball, especially when you see names like McVay, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Matthew Stafford being involved. Still, if you really look at the numbers, the Rams strength of the team has been their defensive unit.

Since Week 15 of 2024, The Rams defense has be suffocating, holding their opponents to single-digit scores in all but two games, one of which they were resting starters vs. Seattle and the other being against the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional round of the playoffs. Over the same seven game span, they had five interceptions and a staggering 29 sacks, with nine against the Vikings and seven against the Eagles in the 2024 playoffs.

It’s not just the immediate success the team is having that makes it feels like LA could be building a championship caliber defense for a long time to come – it’s the youth that’s at the core of their defense.

Long gone are the days of “F those picks” and superstar acquisitions of players who are in, or slightly past, their primes. No, the Rams are building long term from within, with young building blocks like Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, and Omar Speights, all of whom are in their sophomore year and under contract through 2026 at a minimum. Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Quentin Lake and Cobie Durant are all still on their rookie deals. In fact, out of all the Rams starters on defense from Sunday, only Nate Landman, Poona Ford, Kam Curl and Ahkello Witherspoon weren’t on rookie deals.

Analyst Colin Cowherd spoke about the Rams success on defense as of late on his FS1 show “The Herd”:

“They’ve held opponents under 10 points in four straight games when the starters are playing,” Cowherd said. “I believe their defensive line and their defense as a whole could be the best in the league right now because a lot of these good teams, like the Bills and the Ravens, they gave up a lot of yards on the back end.”

On the flip side, from Week 15 of 2024 to now, The Rams offense have averaged about 19.7 points per game counting the playoffs. Over those same seven games, they scored 14 points or less in over half of them. While the Rams can play up to tough opponents and have an explosive 44 point game like they did vs the Buffalo Bills last season, their consistency in the ability to dominant on offense has yet to solidify. Even Sunday against the Texans, the Rams were able to move the ball effectively all day, but at the end of the game only walked away with 14 points total. LB Nate Landman effectively saved the game by punching the ball out with just 1:33 on the clock after a fumble by TE Colby Parkinson gave Houston the ball back with around four minutes left.

LA’s offense is not exactly being carried by their defense, but with the ability to theoretically hold opponents to under 14 points game in and game out, they also no longer have the added pressure of needing to score every drive. With the defense holding teams to their side of the 50, along with the booming leg of punter Ethan Evans, the Rams may have found a formula for success by getting a lead early and then playing keep away with the recently extended RB Kyren Williams. This is huge for a veteran quarterback like Matthew Stafford, who now may be able to lower his attempts per game, which will only help longevity and health as the season continues.

The Rams offense is not lacking nor a weak point on the team, and that needs to be reiterated, but while they can be great, the defense feels like it can be special. The unit still has to prove it’s ability to play at this level over the course of an entire season, but if they can in 2025, it could be the key to Los Angeles hoisting another Lombardi Trophy.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-roster/126108/los-angeles-rams-new-identity-defense

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Random Ramsdom: One week in, are they a top-10 team?

I enjoy The Rich Eisen Show as much as the next person that enjoys The Rich Eisen Show, and on his latest power rankings reveal he had the Los Angeles Rams in his top-10. Do you agree? Are the Rams a top-10 team in the NFL?

Are we worried about their offense? I think everyone agrees L.A.’s defense is a top unit, and to be fair, the offense just went against the Houston Texans, who also likely have a top defensive unit, so the fact that the Rams won speaks volumes.

It’s Thursday, so we’ll get another game tonight, and it’s a NFC matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Commanders, so we may have an even better idea on how the Rams stack up in the league and the NFC after tonight. It’s also only Week 2, so our “realizations” may mean nothing by the end of the regular season.

Hopefully you’re enjoying the football season so far, and if not talk about it in the comments! Talk about whatever you want in the comments!

And as always, thanks for checking out Turf Show Times.

Is it Friday, yet?

Rams New Defender Takes Home Top Week 1 Honors (labfnetwork)​

“Landman was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after his standout showing in the Rams’ gritty 14-9 victory over the Houston Texans. The 26-year-old registered 10 tackles, including six solo, and delivered the game’s defining play when he stripped Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale late in the fourth quarter. Rookie Braden Fiske recovered the fumble, sealing the first win of the season.”

Great to see the Ramily back at the Rams House!

» https://t.co/2N8wd6PfIH pic.twitter.com/71osB5bRmw

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 11, 2025

Rams at Titans 2025 NFL Week 2 prediction: Odds, expert picks, QBs, injury update, betting trends, and stats (nbcsports)​

“The veteran and the Rams outlasted Houston in Week 1, 14-9. The Rams rallied from a 9-7 halftime deficit. The difference in this defensive slugfest? The Rams were 2-3 in the Red Zone and the Texans were 0-1.

For their part, the Titans lost to the Broncos 20-12. Tennessee led 12-10 midway through the third quarter but could not hold off the Broncos down the stretch. The Titans held Denver to just 317 total yards, but they could only muster 133 yards of offense themselves.“

"So much respect for O, sky is the limit for him." #RamsHouse | » https://t.co/FpQ5VyqLl7 pic.twitter.com/uiwwh0UcB8

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 10, 2025

2 Reasons Rams’ Defense Is In Line For Special Performance (si.com)​

“Two things that need to travel for the Rams are their defense and their run game. If they can do those two things well in Week 2, they will have a great chance to win this game. The Rams want to dominate once again in Week 2 and playing great defense will give the offense many of opportunities to put this game out of reach.“

Heading to Music City for Week 2. pic.twitter.com/osCCf5Wer7

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 10, 2025

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/126128/rams-news-power-rankings-nfl-tnf

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

NFL Week 2 picks: Rams slay Titans, Chiefs remain winless

Rams prove mightier than Titans in week 2 clash

Sometimes you have to feel out the NFL season and which teams were prepared coming out of training camp and the preseason. Clearly the Miami Dolphins aren’t up to snuff. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills offense looks like its in midseason form. The Los Angeles Rams defense could be one of the league’s best. Here’s what we got on tap for our Week 2 NFL picks.

Week 1 results: 9-7

Week 2 Matchups

(Thursday) Washington Commanders @ Green Bay Packers, 8:15 PM EST

Jayden Daniels and Jordan Love are two quarterbacks with a lot of potential still to be extracted from their playcallers Matt LaFleur and Kliff Kingsbury. Jordan Love has more pressure on him this season but with another piece like Matthew Golden, I think Love and the Packers finish as a top 3 team in the NFC.

Jayden Daniels keeps it interesting but I don’t see their defense slowing Green Bay down enough.

Pick: Packers win 30-21

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 PM EST

Despite their preseason efforts to gain momentum for Week 1, the Bengals still only managed 17 points against the Browns. Burrow only threw for 113 yards and the offense only managed 11 first downs. The running game wasn’t any better with Chase Brown only totaling 43 yards on 21 carries. I’m going to take the Jaguars in an upset until the Bengals show they are in midseason form.

Pick: Jaguars win 24-17

Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM EST

Baltimore gave away their Sunday night game to Buffalo and I imagine they will be out for blood in Week 2; playing at home. Cleveland showed some fight despite their assets. Still, Lamar Jackson will be too much for Cleveland to contain and I think John Harbaugh plays more aggressively in this one.

Pick: Ravens win 28-13

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets, 1:00 PM EST

Josh Allen was MVP of the 2024-2025 season for a reason. If a 41 year old Aaron Rodgers can throw for four touchdowns against New York, it’s safe to assume that Josh Allen should have his way and then some.

Pick: Bills win 37-20

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins, 1:00 PM EST

Miami’s situation is an avalanche waiting to happen. It appears that Mike McDaniel’s time is very limited. I’m not sure if he makes it through the year to be honest. Tua really handcuffs the Dolphins offense and the team might want to make Zach Wilson its quarterback moving forward.

Admittingly, I expected more out of Drake Maye and the Patriots against Las Vegas. But I’ll double down and take Maye over Tua in Week 2.

Pick: Patriots win 23-9

San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM EST

Brock Purdy’s is out because of a turf toe while also nursing a left shoulder injury. George Kittle is out for multiple weeks because of a hamstring injury. Still, San Francisco was better than expected against a tough Seattle defense. I believe Kyle Shanahan will lean on McCaffrey and the ground game to get out of New Orleans with a win; improving to 2-0 on the season and on the road.

Pick: 49ers win 17-7

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 PM EST

If CeeDee Lamb catches any of his dropped passes, Dallas likely pulls off the upset in Week 1 at Philadelphia. I was pleasantly surprised by Brian Schottenheimer’s team, especially their defense without Micah Parsons. Dallas’s defense front whipped Philadelphia’s offensive line in the second half.

The Giants are a walking nightmare at the quarterback position. Russell Wilson’s career is over and New York may be the frontrunner for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Pick: Cowboys win 20-3

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions, 1:00 PM EST

In Week 2, we already get a reunion of Ben Johnson visiting his former club. While Ben Johnson will be hungry for this game, I think the Lions will avoid an 0-2 hole with Dan Campbell in charge. It’s worth noting that Jared Goff is winless in his career without Sean McVay and Ben Johnson. Too soon?

Pick: Lions win 27-17

Seattle Seahawks @ Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 PM EST

Speaking of reunions, DK Metcalf will get to face off against Seattle after the team traded him this offseason.

I get the sense that Jalen Ramsey will shadow Jaxon Smith-Njigba; preventing the Seattle offense from sustaining drives. Sam Darnold didn’t show much in his first opportunity and I’m not convinced the change from Minnesota to Seattle is going to help his career. Mike Tomlin will exploit the Seattle offensive line and pressure him early and often.

Pick: Steelers win 20-12

Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans, 1:00 PM EST

17 years separate the two quarterbacks but a pair of first overall picks will take center stage in Nashville. Cam Ward vs. Matthew Stafford. The only problem is that Ward does not have the weapons that Stafford does. This could very well be a Davante Adams coming out party type game.

Los Angeles’s defense was spectacular in a week one tussle with Houston. CJ Stroud, a consensus top 15 quarterback, was held in check all game. I imagine Cam Ward will face the same tough sledding against LA’s relentless pressure.

Pick: Rams win 30-16

Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts, 4:05 PM EST

The surprise of week 1 was Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts. Granted, they were playing the Dolphins and those same Dolphins could be in contention for the number one pick.

I still like the Broncos here who will pose more of a challenge to Daniel Jones in the passing game. And I’m not ready to panic on Bo Nix’s week one box score.

Pick: Broncos win 24-19

Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 PM EST

Carolina just hasn’t been able to go anywhere for awhile. The sand in Bryce Young’s hourglass is running out. Jonathan Gannon’s defense showed in Week 1 that they are a unit on the rise. Once again, I’ll buy the redbirds.

Pick: Cardinals win 30-13

Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 PM EST

Super Bowl LIX rematch. The Chiefs will be without Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Patrick Mahomes is able to freestyle and create a lot of magic. And he could do that in the team’s home opener. I believe what is holding the Chiefs back is Jawaan Taylor. He is the weak link on that offensive line. His 49.5 PFF grade agrees.

The Chiefs won’t run the ball enough; putting Mahomes in too many difficult situations. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts will game manage enough on Philadelphia’s offense; giving them the win on the road.

Pick: Eagles win 24-18

(Sunday Night Football) Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 PM EST

Kirk Cousins returns home to Minnesota…except he won’t be starting for either team.

JJ McCarthy was able to turn things on in the 4th quarter against the Bears but Raheem Morris’s defense should be a tougher test than Ben Johnson’s Bears defense.

Pick: Falcons win 24-17

(Monday Night Football) Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Houston Texans, 7:00 PM EST

This one is tough. Two strong defenses on Monday Night Football. The difference here will be the offensive line play. Tampa Bay has the edge especially with Houston nursing some injuries.

Pick: Buccaneers win 16-13

(Monday Night Football) Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas Raiders, 10:00 PM EST

The Chargers introduced themselves as legitimate AFC contenders after upsetting the Chiefs in Brazil. Justin Herbert looks ready to take the next step in the quarterback hierarchy. The Raiders grabbed a nice win over New England but will fall to the more physical Chargers.

Pick: Chargers 27-19

Who is your lock of the week? Who is your upset of the week? Do the Rams win? Add your picks in the comments below?

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-scores-results/126156/nfl-week-2-picks-rams-titans

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams Reacts, Week 2

Fan confidence dipped slightly from Week 1 to Week 2, despite the L.A. Rams beating the Houston Texans. That drop was only minor, from 95% to 94%, but the fact that it did not go up after starting 1-0 could be an indication that Rams fans want to see a better performance by the team as a whole before buying that L.A. could be the best team in the NFC.

That being said, 94% of Rams fans responded to this week’s reacts poll by saying that they are confident in the direction of the team. That’s a strong statement for L.A. as they head into their Week 2 matchup against the Tennessee Titans and look to improve to 2-0.

One thing that could definitely help the confidence score go up in Week 3 would be a standout performance by the offensive line. Because there have been so many injuries to the OL this week, a showing of health, strength, and depth would build confidence in the fanbase that the Rams offense is going to be okay moving forward.

The Titans are not the best team on L.A.’s schedule, so it may only be cautious optimism again if the Rams win.

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-news/126214/rams-reacts-week-2

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Rams injury report: How worried are you?

The Los Angeles Rams had a trio of offensive linemen on the injury report this week but it appears that only one of them will miss Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans. How worried are you about the Rams protecting Matthew Stafford without Steve Avila this weekend?

On a scale of 1-5, how major is an Avila injury in the grand scheme of things?

Avila is listed as doubtful, which all but assures that he will be out of the lineup. The Rams played Beaux Limmer last week against the Houston Texans after Avila left the game with an ankle injury. The only other player listed as doubtful is tight end Colby Parkinson, a player who few fans seem to be worried about missing right now.

Here’s the final injury report of the week for Rams at Titans: pic.twitter.com/JuvkeZSEhj

— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) September 12, 2025

But Parkinson’s injury has other consequences, which is probably a positive one: Rookie Terrance Ferguson could get more playing time in Week 2 than he did in Week 1.

The Rams will have Kevin Dotson and Rob Havenstein, so as expected the final injury report wasn’t nearly as bad as the one a couple of days ago.

Scale 1-5, how significant is the loss of Steve Avila for one week?

Let us know in the comments

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-injuries/126284/rams-injury-report-steve-avila

 

[Los Angeles Rams]

Get Angry: What do you want to get off of your chest?

It’s time for you to motivate the Los Angeles Rams. It can be venting your frustrations with a certain player, like Colby Parkinson, or a coach, like Sean McVay. It can be trying to hype up Matthew Stafford, who has never beat the Tennessee Titans in his entire career. It can be Les Snead, asking him why he didn’t work harder to keep Willie Lampkin. It can be asking Steve Avila, “Could you have gutted this one out against Jeffery Simmons?”

What do you want to get off of your chest before the Rams face the Titans on Sunday?​

I’ll post some prompts in the comments section, or you can create your own, and you use this opportunity on a Saturday to speak your truth about the Rams before they play the Titans on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford: 0-4 vs. Titans​

Does anyone want to help Stafford get his mentals straight before trying to break a winless career record against Tennessee?

stafford has never beaten the titans, he's 0-4 against them, despite being a favored in 3 of the 4 games.

the last time was in 2021, a 16-28 loss, the rams were 7.5 home favorites, a game in which he took a beating – but after the loss stafford went on a 9-3 run a won the sb! pic.twitter.com/RqRdwzt1S0

— roberto clemente (@rclemente2121) September 11, 2025

Stafford’s four career games against the Titans:

• 2012, Lions lose 44-41 in OT
• 2016, Lions lose 16-15
• 2020, Lions lose 46-25
• 2021, Rams lose 28-16

Remarkably, the Rams even lost to the Titans during Stafford’s Super Bowl season. (To be fair, that team was 12-5, something that seems very easy to have forgotten by now.)

Tennessee was terrible last year, Brian Callahan’s first as the head coach. I’ve seen some Titans fans claiming that Callahan doesn’t know how to coach after watching him call Week 1’s loss to the Broncos. Tennessee’s defense wasn’t as much of a problem as its offense however and the Titans actually played the pass quite well, intercepting Bo Nix twice. Do you think Stafford needs some extra motivation to beat the Titans for the first time in his career, or are we overselling a team that went 3-14 last year?

Colby Parkinson: The beat goes on​

The $22.5 million tight end is doubtful to play this week anyway, but the story continues for last year’s biggest free agent bust by L.A.. Parkinson had two catches for -6 yards and a fumble in Week 1, literally taking a step backwards from his abysmal 2024 season.

Are you more mad at Parkinson for failing to meet expectations, Les Snead for signing Parkinson, or Sean McVay for continuing to play Parkinson last week?

Sean McVay: Will we see more Ferguson, Jarquez Hunter, Blake Corum?​

Do you want to vent some frustrations with McVay’s personnel usage in Week 1?

McVay said Colby Parkinson's possible absence "could" open up more opportunities for rookie TE Terrance Ferguson on Sunday.

McVay on his show this week said based on the type of game Week 1 could be, felt like special teams was best approach last week.

"I thought he did a… https://t.co/rfpQmzUOlO

— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) September 12, 2025

McVay gave Kyren Williams 82% of the snaps, compared to only 17% for Corum and 0% for Hunter because he was inactive. Instead, Cody Schrader was active and now Schrader is on the Jaguars.

McVay gave 58% of the tight end snaps to Tyler Higbee, compared to 48% for Parkinson, 37% for Davis Allen, and 0% for Ferguson.

What do you want to tell McVay about using his bench going into this week against the Titans? Make sure you’re scrolling down to the comments to share your opinions and find out what other fans are saying!

With Cody Schrader going to the Jags, my guess is that the Rams shift to Ronnie Rivers getting elevated from the PS on gamedays.

Do think we see Jarquez Hunter more in the second half of the season…but Rivers offers more on STs like Schrader.

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) September 9, 2025

At wide receiver, McVay had Davante Adams out there for 90% of the snaps, while Puka Nacua had 63% (and missed time with injury), Jordan Whittington had 50%, Tutu Atwell had 42%, Konata Mumpfield had 10%, and Xavier Smith only played two snaps but gained more yards than Tutu and Whittington.

Any other thoughts you want to share with McVay about the gameplan vs. Tennessee?

JeffinBranson shared these thoughts on the comments the other day:

The Titans beat the Rams the last time they played, by sending their pass rush right up the middle. Coleman Shelton et all couldn’t handle it at all. Hopefully McVay has a game plan to counter this. Roll-outs and reverses and jet sweeps and screens are some of the things that negate that tactic. I am not as confident as you guys, but I hope I’m dead wrong and that we trample them. I want to see n offensive explosion, like against Buffalo last year. I hope we put up 40 points.

The Rams are much bigger upfront now, but that doesn’t change the fact that Jeffery Simmons is a menace. He had at least 5 pressures in Week 1 and Denver’s interior offensive line is no slouch.

Troy Reeder: Go off, fam​

I just feel like some of you want to go off on Troy Reeder because he’s here, so by all means go for it again.

Tutu Atwell: $10 million for this?​

Maybe it’s not Atwell you’re mad at. Maybe it’s Snead and McVay. The Rams paid Atwell $10 million guaranteed to not leave in free agency and then Stafford targeted him one time, for four yards.

This could not have possibly ever been the idea when the Rams paid Tutu $10 million.

Did you realize that a $10 million salary cap hit is the 18th highest in the entire NFL in 2025?

Sean McVay aims to roll out a more blended Davante Adams-Puka Nacua attack https://t.co/0OdsETEJ5b

— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) September 12, 2025

Tutu’s cap hit is only $1 million less than DK Metcalf, it’s more than Brandon Aiyuk, Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Jaylen Waddle, Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, and Keenan Allen. How was this possibly the plan? One target, one catch, four yards.

Who are you mad with for the Tutu Atwell contract, if anyone?

Darious Williams: Tutu of defense​

On defense, Williams has the 16th-biggest cap hit for a cornerback in 2025 but he’s on the bench. It could be a short period of time before the Rams decide to part ways with Williams, but they could just be waiting to make sure that they definitely won’t need him at some point. Injuries happen at cornerback too.

It was kind of questionable to bring back Williams last year. He was cut by the Jaguars, he’s 32, and now he’s unsurprisingly not good enough to be active. Was this a necessary evil for Les Snead or should the Rams have avoided the Darious Williams reunion?

Now go to the comments! Vent!

Source: https://www.turfshowtimes.com/los-angeles-rams-roster/126297/rams-titans-preview-stafford-mcvay-tutu