Welcome to our new message board system. We hope you enjoy the new features, and please post any issues or problems in the Help and Support forum. There are also several tutorial videos posted there to help you get familiar with some of the changes. Registration is required to post.https://ramsrule.com/herd/index.phpSun, 20 Sep 2026 11:30:42 -0400 Phorum 5.2.18 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254943,1254943#msg-1254943 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254943,1254943#msg-1254943
I'm ok if we lose a game, but show up and be competitive. You've had an entire year to prepare for the first game.

We did not show up.

They need to show up tomorrow night.

LFG!!!!!!!]]> kw13 RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 11:27:26 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?23,1254926,1254926#msg-1254926 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?23,1254926,1254926#msg-1254926 BerendsenRam Rams ChroniclesSun, 20 Sep 2026 05:40:19 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,1254921,1254921#msg-1254921 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,1254921,1254921#msg-1254921
My grandson leading both teams in prayer after the game.
On his own he went & asked other teams coach if they'd like to pray with them]]> ScRAM Bucky's PubSun, 20 Sep 2026 10:10:05 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254920,1254920#msg-1254920 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254920,1254920#msg-1254920Criticism of Chris Shula Is Missing the Bigger Picture With Rams Defense

The Rams defense struggled in Week 1, but criticism of Chris Shula overlooks Sean McVay’s influence and the philosophy behind the scheme.Blaine Grisak

[www.si.com]

Since the Los Angeles Rams lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, it has been the defense that has gotten the majority of the blame. With the Rams set to take on the New York Giants in Week 2, all eyes will be especially focused on Chris Shula and the defense.

Head coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford will certainly take the blame for the loss. Stafford noted after the game that the offense had two good drives the entire game, while McVay said that the offense lacked communication.

However, that doesn’t make the defense blameless. The Rams trailed by three points at halftime before the 49ers scored a touchdown to start the half and then allowed a 99-yard touchdown drive following a missed fourth-down conversion from the offense.

Put together, it simply wasn’t good complementary football. The defense was certainly put in a bad position with a long kick return to start the second half. Despite the offense not scoring from the one-yard line, the defense needs to find a way to get a stop. It wasn’t just one unit that deserved blame, but all three phases.

That doesn’t mean that multiple things can’t be true. Yes, more is expected from the offensive side of the ball. At the same time, there are places where the defense can be better.

“With the exception of the one explosive, I think what ended up happening is there were a lot of screens early on and a good commitment to the run where they were able to be in shorter third down situations,” said McVay on the Coach McVay Show this week. “There were some opportunities where we did get stickier than people realize because of the way that we align…I have tremendous trust and confidence in Chris Shula leading the way, our defensive coaches. And then we’re always looking at where those opportunities are to put players in the positions that allow their best traits and characteristics to come to life on a consistent basis, and you’ll see that moving forward.”

Why the Rams Didn’t Play More Man Coverage

The last sentence is the one that many have been examining since the end of the game. During the offseason, the Rams spent significant capital to acquire cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. Against the 49ers, McDuffie played 25.7 percent of his coverage snaps in man coverage, which was the fourth-lowest rate in his career.

However, since entering the league in 2022, McDuffie has played man coverage on 43.5 percent of his snaps, the ninth-highest rate among defensive backs with over 1,000 coverage snaps in his career. The same can be said about Watson, who was also brought in as a man-coverage cornerback.

Richard Sherman is concerned about the Rams defense. Where does it start? How they use their corners. He explains in *very* good detail:

"You don't use a Corvette to Uber. You get in a Corvette, you're racing...you pay them their money, let him do what he was doing." [t.co] pic.twitter.com/hQRtnyGEng

— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) September 15, 2026

Before we get into that, it’s important to add context to the philosophy of the defense. It may be up to Chris Shula to call the defensive plays and add his own twist to the scheme. Still, it is on the head coach to decide the overall philosophy.

McVay certainly gives his coaches on the coaching staff more schematic freedom. With that said, the general ethos of the defense remains how McVay wants it to look. It’s why the complaints from Raheem Morris to now Chris Shula have remained the same.

Sean McVay’s Influence on the Rams Defense

It’s important to understand what McVay wants in a defense. It simply goes back to one of the turning points in NFL history. That turning point was the Rams’ 2018 loss to the Chicago Bears and the defense led by Vic Fangio. The Rams lost that game 15-6, and it was arguably the worst offensive performance of the McVay era.

As The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue wrote, “in the following years, McVay became “obsessed” with elements of Vic Fangio’s defense.”

McVay would hire Brandon Staley, who was Fangio’s right-hand man, to be his defensive coordinator in 2020. When Morris took over after Staley left, he continued many of those same principles. Morris maintained the foundation that Staley built built on lighter fronts and two-high safeties. Shula has since continued those defensive ideas established by Staley and Morris after working under both coordinators.

How Much of the Rams Defense Falls on Chris Shula?

It all goes back to the same underlying question. At what point is Shula not to blame for the Rams’ defense? Raheem Morris was criticized by the fanbase for three years for playing ‘soft coverage,’ ‘not being creative enough,’ and ‘not blitzing.’

However, look no further than the last two times the Rams have played a Morris defense. The Rams’ offense had arguably their worst performance of the season against Morris and the Falcons in 2025. Meanwhile, Morris and the 49ers completely shut out the Rams in the second half of Week 1. Morris simply isn’t the bad defensive coach that he was made to be for three years in Los Angeles.

Why the 49ers Complicated the Rams’ Defensive Approach
It’s very possible the 49ers and Shanahan were a reason for the Rams not running as much man coverage as they may have wanted. In general, man coverage is a bad idea against Shanahan. He’ll draw up man-beaters all day and create chaos. One play, they’ll make the guy covering Deebo Samuel fit the B gap, and the next, they’ll split Christian McCaffrey out with a linebacker on him in space. That’s not necessarily a world a defense wants to live in.

However, it’s also worth mentioning that the Fangio scheme, which is very zone-heavy, is also what McVay wants to run.

The Fangio defense really comes down to three main principles:

Two-high coverages take away vertical shots, limiting explosive plays and forcing quarterbacks to live underneath.

Fangio’s philosophy centers on playing defense with defenders moving forward. By aligning deeper, defenders keep everything in front of them and can attack downhill.

Fangio defenses are built around two-high shells and lighter boxes. Showing split safeties before the snap forces quarterbacks into post-snap processing.
That is the Rams’ defense in a nutshell, and it’s also a world in which the 49ers don’t mind living in. The issue with the Rams’ defense against the 49ers wasn’t necessarily that they didn’t play man coverage or didn’t blitz enough.

Majoring in man coverage with all the motions and shifts the 49ers have can be a nightmare and lead to major assignment errors, especially with the new shifts and motions they showed. Not to mention, the NFL as a whole is trending hard toward zone coverage and split-safety… [t.co]

— Adam Archuleta (@AdamArchuleta) September 12, 2026

For the most part, the secondary actually tackled well in space. According to NFL Pro, the 49ers had -6 yards after the catch over expected. The primary issue was the inability to stop the run, as the 49ers offense had a 56.7 percent rushing success rate. That was the highest in the NFL in Week 1.

“We always say that if we're in this together,” said defensive coordinator Chris Shula on Friday. “I think we can play harder. I think we can play better and we can execute better, really at all levels. We can also put them in better positions.”

The Rams’ Defensive Problems Don’t Have a Simple Solution

At the end of the day, it’s more complicated than simply saying, ‘they should have blitzed more’ or ‘they should have played more man.’ That doesn’t necessarily work against the opponent the Rams faced, and it’s also against the ethos of the overriding defensive philosophy.

22 times McD locked at snap. Not including other times #35 was. This about 1/3 of snaps.

Sometimes CBs in man, LB & S in zone or match zone.

Ask yourself, if you want more "man" coverage as it is charted, means you want CMC iso on Landman/Seights?, etc?

Just asking pic.twitter.com/K33dyMqc5g

— Jim Youngblood 53 (@53_jim70721) September 17, 2026


Last season, the Rams blitzed at a rate of 20.7 percent, which was the 29th-lowest rate in the NFL. In last place was the Philadelphia Eagles at 18.8 percent, who are coached by Vic Fangio. The Rams only blitzed 11.1 percent of the time against the 49ers, ranking 31st for the week, while Fangio and the Eagles were at 21.1 percent. Fangio and the Eagles had a higher rate, but it’s also just a one-game sample. It was still outside the top 20.

It’s understandable that fans would be discouraged by the defense after allowing 27 points and following an offseason in which they spent significant resources at cornerback and added Myles Garrett. The Rams’ defense certainly wasn’t perfect against the 49ers, but the issues are deeper than the current surface-level arguments.

Again, the point here is that it’s possible that Morris and Shula aren’t as bad as they are made out to be. Ultimately, the main ideas behind the scheme itself aren’t changing, and that’s because of McVay’s obsession with the Fangio defense. Until McVay decides to change it, this is what the Rams are running.

Chris Shula Has Earned the Benefit of the Doubt

This isn’t to say that the defense can’t or shouldn’t be better. It’s not even to say that they shouldn’t play tighter and run more man coverage. However, right now, it’s just a one-game sample. The Rams’ defense ranked fourth in defensive DVOA last season and 10th in defensive EPA per play. From an advanced metrics standpoint, they were a top-10 unit. That’s not a defensive coordinator you simply fire.

While it’s true they faltered down the stretch, Shula has earned more slack than just one game. He’s earned the benefit of the doubt that Week 1 was simply a poor performance. Again, it wasn’t as if the offensive side of the ball was much better. It was a dud from all facets.

"Rams, total dud. ... One of the worst games I've seen [Matthew Stafford] play in years."@danorlovsky7 did not hold back on the Rams after their season-opening loss to the 49ers ]]> RamBill RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 07:23:24 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254919,1254919#msg-1254919 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254919,1254919#msg-1254919Poll: Does Puka play Monday Night

Does Puka play Monday night? I hope he can go for the Rams and my fantasy team.]]> ferragamo79 RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 11:07:47 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254910,1254910#msg-1254910 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254910,1254910#msg-1254910

Los Angeles Rams
448K subscribers

Sep 19, 2026 #LosAngelesRams #LARams #Rams
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay talks wide receiver Puka Nacua's injury status, defensive lineman Aaron Donald's return to the Rams and more head of Monday Night Football vs. the New York Giants.



]]> Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 20:15:27 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254906,1254906#msg-1254906 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254906,1254906#msg-1254906
]]> RamBill RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 18:44:21 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254901,1254901#msg-1254901 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254901,1254901#msg-1254901
I don't think we addressed it enough in the Draft or FA. We all knew Puka could miss time and now that is happening. Whittington is also hurt. Who is going to step up??? Can Ty Simpson play WR if needed??? How about Safety or DE??? lol

We also worried about an aging Adams missing time. If he does, we are cooked.

[attachment 15746 1.png]]]> Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 02:14:16 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?23,1254888,1254888#msg-1254888 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?23,1254888,1254888#msg-1254888www.therams.com]]]> BerendsenRam Rams ChroniclesSun, 20 Sep 2026 05:47:02 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254886,1254886#msg-1254886 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254886,1254886#msg-1254886link

[attachment 15745 1.png]]]> Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 17:32:36 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254884,1254884#msg-1254884 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254884,1254884#msg-1254884
I have no specific player info, as he probably couldn't tell one player from another, and he was far too busy to spend any time in the dining room anyway. But I do have a couple of interesting tidbits.

He had three kitchens going at all times. Kitchen One was breakfast and some lunch prep. Kitchen Two was dinner and some lunch prep. And Kitchen Three was where they were cooking everything and serving everyone.

I asked him about portions, and he said the players ate normal portions. He thought they were going to eat sizeable portions because a lot of them are big guys, but he said it's not like that. He said they ate; they drank smoothies, and they took supplements. All day long. Multiple times a day. The kitchen was open all day into the night, and they had a skeleton crew overnight in case someone needed a midnight snack.

I asked him what kind of food he made, and he said, "Whatever they wanted." He said if the players didn't get what they wanted to eat, they would leave campus to go find it, and no one wanted them to do that, so if the players asked for it, they made it.

He said his craziest day was when they provided over 5000 meals for 56 special events in a single day.]]> Ramadune RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 21:35:30 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254883,1254883#msg-1254883 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254883,1254883#msg-1254883
It was 1968 at the Los Angeles Coliseum....November.....So my brother and I were 4 going on 5 years old in January. We are identical twins.

Our Dad took us to go see Roman Gabriel throw the pigskin to Jack Snow before they retired, he was big on stuff like that. ( I cheated and looked back at the Rams Roster for that game and we saw more than that....Deacon Jones, Merlin Olson, Dick Bass, Irv Cross, Jack Pardee were all on the field that day as well.)

Head Coach that day for our Rams was George Allen. So yes, there were plenty of HOF Rams on the field that day.

As the story goes, my Dad remembers us asking him who was that team running out of the tunnel with those horns on their helmets? He said, The Rams.

My brother and I said, "We like that team, we want those guys to win." From that November day in 1968, Ram Fans for the next 3 generations were born and still going strong.

So.......When the Rams play the Giants.......It's a special game, a VERY special game for me.]]> oldschoolramfan RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 10:02:36 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,1254871,1254871#msg-1254871 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,1254871,1254871#msg-1254871
[www.youtube.com]]]> SeattleRam Bucky's PubSun, 20 Sep 2026 10:05:38 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?23,1254857,1254857#msg-1254857 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?23,1254857,1254857#msg-1254857 BerendsenRam Rams ChroniclesSat, 19 Sep 2026 15:33:29 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254852,1254852#msg-1254852 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254852,1254852#msg-1254852
On the other hand, if the Rams can get in the lead early, then I think we will still have a good chance because the Giants will have to try and catch up. The Giants offense will have a difficult time catching up to us if we can get a lead and keep scoring.

I think the above 2 things are very critical for us to win this game.

What do you guys think?]]> Singapore Ram RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 21:25:33 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254847,1254847#msg-1254847 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254847,1254847#msg-1254847
Enjoyed watching the Rams 9ers on my drive toward Steamboat Springs last week (my girl drove, I enjoyed the non cell-phone disruption Netflix streaming functionality...) The wheels fell of in the 3rd quarter. I just re-watched the first 3 quarters, and I'm no Jake Ellenbogen (but - go Jayhawks ;-)....) but here is my take

1. Nakua (and the team in general) are soft and not in shape
* Our interior DL, LBs, and S's played the run and short pass **ultra** soft. Like - they were on "thud" speed, whereas the 9ers were on "attack" speed
* Puka - what a warrior, such a gift of a player after Kupp. That said, I've never cheered less for a pro athlete than I have for him these past 4-6 months. The fact that his ex came out 2-3 days before this game with new drama (tbh that is her thing, but - unforrunately - he's a part of this...) and

Then what LITERALLY blew my mind were articles within 6 hrs after this loss where his quotes were like "I really was in a dark chapter with alcohol these past 2 years" (side note - any good person wants another person to get right in these kinds of situations, as do I...)

...

A word of advice to the younger generation. Don't let your reputation and ego overtake your hunger and work ethic.

So - when you see Stafford look past TFerg in 2nd Q and throw the pick, as he runs off the field, he's looking up at the scoreboard/replay, and he's trying to understand - "I thought my guy was going to win that for sure, where was he".

And? His guy Nakua was looking passive and possibly out of shape, as the more aggressive 9ers CB beat him to the ball. Similar start of Q3 play but to Davante, where #4 was open underneath and Stafford tried to force it to Adams on 3rd down,

Orr in Q3, Nakua not "winning" for the TD on a short pass, and of course( I actually thought he got it...) but Stafford on the QB sneak failure. .... How to lose a game, in a few series, basically - here

2. WHY OH WHY didn't Shula shift from soft zone to M2M? And - put his foot in A$$ for (interior DLs) and (Landman (also out of shape or "thud" speed?) and Speights and (Kurl, Kinchens, Lake) as they look ultra-passive on runs and short passes. Frustrating

3. TFerg needs to get Stafford's eye this week, since he had opportunities where he as open this past game, and ball was forced to an out of shape Nakua. If #18 can't make plays? Look out...long season

4. You can see Garrett "pull back" and avoid contact on the replays. Can't blame him. You can also see his first step and athleticism still pop, but - again - whole team playing at "thud" speed

5. Corum and Williams looked great, and Rams could run the ball, and as a fan during this McVay era, you're never surprised when he overthinks gaining 6 YPC and calls complicated pass plays instead of simply dominating as we as fans wish he would do (channel your inner Marty Schottenheimr or Ground Chuck lol...)

6. I'm going to be curious if our roster of "coached up" 4th thru UDFAs players hold up and can win against the NYG's stacked (first thru 3rd rd) makeup. It seems they are much more athletic and higher ceiling, younger, and Harbaugh coaches with a steady & aggressive hand - so - curious if #99 and #9 and the crew can show their mettle Monday night

Thanks for reading if you've made it this far, thank you deadpool, PaulButcher, alyo, and everyone else - GO RAMS!!!]]> sergioleone RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 10:28:08 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254837,1254837#msg-1254837 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254837,1254837#msg-1254837
]]> RamBill RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 20:39:13 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254830,1254830#msg-1254830 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254830,1254830#msg-1254830 Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 07:03:13 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254822,1254822#msg-1254822 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254822,1254822#msg-1254822
Hip injury??]]> ramithard RamsFootballFans.comSun, 20 Sep 2026 00:06:53 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254820,1254820#msg-1254820 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254820,1254820#msg-1254820
Great insights from a player's perspective, especially the comparisons between Matthew and Russell, illuiminating what Matthew brings that others lack.



]]> mtramfan RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 06:12:50 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254818,1254818#msg-1254818 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254818,1254818#msg-1254818
Aaron Donald says he expects to play on Monday night against the Giants.

“That’s the plan. … That’s all of our plan.”

Potentially a huge lift for the Rams in the first week without Myles Garrett and possibly without Kam Kinchens, if he can’t play on his hamstring.

[x.com]]]> RamBill RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 18:06:01 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254815,1254815#msg-1254815 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254815,1254815#msg-1254815
[attachment 15743 1.png]]]> Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comSat, 19 Sep 2026 11:31:56 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,1254811,1254811#msg-1254811 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?4,1254811,1254811#msg-1254811
At the same time I hope it IS that type of game.

Looks like we're going to have true football weather tonight... that is... cool. At kickoff upper 70's and by final gun low 70's. Yes, I'll be in a jacket. Iowa would be in shorts with a handheld mister trying to cool off. :laughing

Looks like Scott's High School is facing a team that, (on paper), should be a close one. Evenly matched... at least "on paper".

21Dog's got a HUGE game on tap. Tulare Western ranked #24 vs Shafter ranked #22 (Fresno area rankings). I'll be checking in to their score to see if JuJu (Tulare's QB ) can throw 8TD's 3 games in a row. :laughing. That's such an astronomically high passing TD stat I can't take it in. I can't recall any QB having any game with 8 TD's passing much less 2 in a row?

Tonight marks the half way point for Central Calif. High School Football. Sure seems to be going by quickly. - JamesJM]]> JamesJM Bucky's PubSat, 19 Sep 2026 02:03:51 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254810,1254810#msg-1254810 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254810,1254810#msg-1254810

LA Rams Report by Chat Sports
13.8K subscribers


Sep 18, 2026 #LosAngelesRams #RamsGiants #MatthewStafford
Los Angeles Rams news features a comprehensive Rams vs. Giants Week 2 Preview as hosts Jackson Durham and Marshall Green of Giants Now by Chat Sports break down Monday Night Football. Sign up for PrizePicks with code: HMA and get $150 in lineups instantly when you win your first $5+ lineup! [link.prizepicks.com]. Los Angeles Rams discussions examine crucial adjustments needed following the Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, focusing on run defense and pass protection for Matthew Stafford. The Los Angeles Rams analysis also explores the New York Giants defensive strategy, offensive identity, and the underutilization of Davante Adams in the red zone.



]]> Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 16:11:57 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254803,1254803#msg-1254803 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254803,1254803#msg-1254803
Detroits defense struggled, but HOLY COW did AH make a difference out there. Even when no one else was doing much, he was creating havok.

One pass rusher, if they are a beast like AH or Garrett, can really impact a game.

That is why we traded for MG. I can't wait to see him healthy.]]> RantoulRam RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 20:21:19 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254799,1254799#msg-1254799 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254799,1254799#msg-1254799
01:22 Week 1 takeaways
09:42 Myles Garrett’s injury
15:07 Offense & defense vs. 49ers
27:25 Previewing the Giants
34:54 Injury Report
43:11 Season-long goals




]]> RamBill RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 11:30:33 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254798,1254798#msg-1254798 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254798,1254798#msg-1254798
00:00 – Intro & Welcoming Rob Havenstein
00:41 – Rams Week 1 Recap & Season Outlook
01:53 – Behind the Scenes: Sean McVay's Coaching Approach
03:17 – Aaron Donald's Return & Expectations
06:57 – Matthew Stafford's Mindset & Bounce-Back Potential
08:57 – How Ascending Teams Break Through
13:06 – Rise of 13 Personnel & Heavy Packages in the NFL
16:22 – Scouting the Giants' Defensive Front & Edge Rushers
19:34 – Importance of the Run Game for the Rams Offense
22:00 – The Mentality & Physicality of Puka Nacua
25:01 – Rams Defensive Strategy vs. Giants Offense
29:50 – Training Camp & Preseason Philosophies
32:28 – Keys to Victory: Rams vs. Giants Matchup
33:52 – Rob Havenstein on Life After Retirement
37:03 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up



]]> RamBill RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 14:27:03 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254796,1254796#msg-1254796 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254796,1254796#msg-1254796
Kyle Shanahan has been to 4 NFC Championships. Sean McVay has been to 3. They faced each other in one NFC Championship Game. That means 6 of the 9 NFC Championships played since they both became head coaches involved either one or both of them. But how many seasons have both teams made the playoffs?



I'll include an interesting takeaway later.]]> Ram_Ruler RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 11:05:21 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254787,1254787#msg-1254787 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254787,1254787#msg-1254787Poll: Will Aaron Donald Play Monday Night?

Just wondering where the Board is on this]]> Shecky RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 09:08:13 -0400 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254785,1254785#msg-1254785 https://ramsrule.com/herd/read.php?19,1254785,1254785#msg-1254785
Sean McVay: Myles Garrett is like Wolverine, healing fast, but we won’t rush him back


By
Michael David Smith



Published September 18, 2026 05:20 AM

Rams coach Sean McVay says defensive end Myles Garrett’s knee surgery was successful, but it’s too soon to tell when Garrett will be back on the field.

“It went good, he’s feeling good, you already see he had crutches yesterday and then he was walking without crutches today. He’s like Wolverine, healing fast,” McVay said.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Garrett will be back on the field on October 18 for the Rams’ Week 6 game against the Cardinals, which is the earliest he’s eligible to return from injured reserve.

“I’m reluctant to put a timeline on it,” McVay said. “We know that he’s going to miss those four weeks at a minimum. We’re not going to rush him back. We want to make sure he’s feeling good, he’s able to get on the practice field, do all the things that are necessary for him to perform at a level that he’s been accustomed to. I’ll keep you guys posted as we have updates, as we go.”

Garrett did next to nothing in the Rams’ Week 1 loss to the 49ers and can’t play for the next four weeks, so the Rams will be about one-third of the way through the season before they get any meaningful contributions for him. That wasn’t the plan when they traded for him, but the Rams’ top priority is having him ready late in the season and in the playoffs, and McVay sounds confident that will happen.]]> Ramsdude RamsFootballFans.comFri, 18 Sep 2026 08:06:53 -0400