Patrick Daugherty The Morning After
| November 12, 2018 09:23AM |
You bring up a good point. Here are my thoughts and associations if they are of any interest.
I remember Jack Del Rio said at one point he knows linebackers. He knows what a linebacker looks like. It made sense when he said it. Martz from Green, Warner, Bulger, Harvard maybe even Kitna knew QBs. It seems like McVay knows WRs, QBs and a lot more. I remember the criticism of Woods contract when he signed. People felt like the Rams overpaid. Now Woods looks like he is underpaid. Picking up Kupp in the 3rd and bringing in Cooks seems to be evidence that McVay knows WRs. I thought they wanted Cooks ahead of Watkins last year.
What is the health status of Mike Thomas?
I liked Pharoh Cooper when he was drafted. To my eyes, he has athleticism and body control. I know he was a dynamic playmaker at the other USC (University of South Carolina) and he has had some nice returns in the NFL but McVay did not draft him. I wonder if he is just tall enough and has just adequate speed for the NFL. He looks like a 4th WR on an offense that only goes with 3 wideouts. But he does know the offense and he gives the Rams depth and options at this point in the year. Nick Williams is similar but I am glad they have him on the roster as depth. It stood out that they picked him up and played right away. Does Jo Jo get a couple of snaps on offense? I'd really love to see one or two of the young talented group that was drafted in the McVay era step up.
It's a golden opportunity for Reynolds. Catching the onside kick clean was clutch (even though Seabass kicked right to him). It's a golden opportunity for Higbee and Everett (maybe even Pharoh Cooper, Nick Wiliams, and KhaDarel Hodge). The Higbee touchdown was not an easy catch. Everett has gotten meaningful opportunities on the 2 point and third down in recent weeks so they are starting to trust him and he responded. To be an important regular contributor on McVay's offense on a 9-1 team in LA would be magic. Who wants it badly? Step up.
[www.rotoworld.com]
Cooper Kupp's Season-Ender
Monday, November 12, 2018
Patrick Daugherty The Morning After
How unlikely was the NFL rise of Cooper Kupp? For starters, he entered the league out of FCS Eastern Washington, the team known primarily for having a red field. He was also 24, which is positively elderly for a first-year player. Kupp was one day younger than rookie teammate Sammy Watkins, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2014 draft. A third-round pick after flopping the Combine, Kupp was slated for No. 3 duties in a Jared Goff-led offense, which sounded a lot different then than it does now.
One of the reasons? Kupp rocked it in 2017. While the youngest player in the league, JuJu Smith-Schuster, led all rookies in receiving (917), Kupp checked in second at 869. He averaged a robust 14.02 yards per catch and found the end zone five times. Kupp overachieved, but not in a way that suggested he was a one hit wonder.
He was not. Kupp came out hot this season, scoring five times in his first five games. He was on pace for 96/1,402/16 heading into Week 6 against the Broncos. That’s when he hurt his knee for the first time. Horse-collar tackled by Darian Stewart, Kupp was carted to the locker room. His year appeared over.
Only it wasn’t. An MRI mercifully revealed a mild MCL sprain. It was a miracle for fantasy owners and another data point in the Rams’ 2018 “team of destiny” powerpoint. It was not to be. After a surprisingly short two-week absence, Kupp made it only two more games before his left knee gave out for good. Finishing up a route after some light contact, Kupp went down in agony. He was in so much pain you could literally hear him scream on T.V. Goff had the looks of a player who knew he had just lost one of his top weapons for the season.
He has. Torn ACL. Now 25, Kupp will miss the Rams’ Super Bowl run and be in a race against time to get cleared for Week 1 2019. It’s the cruelest twist of fate for an unlikely star who did his part in putting a moribund franchise back on the map. Kupp’s loss is the first real test the Rams have faced during the so far charmed McVay era. It will take a group effort to replace him. Josh Reynolds will take over in three-receiver sets, but tight ends Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett could be the biggest beneficiaries. Both players were already getting more involved before Kupp’s injury, and each caught a touchdown in Sunday’s narrow win over the Seahawks.
More than likely, McVay’s system is good enough to overcome the loss of one of its best players. He will still be counting down the days until he gets Kupp back.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2018 09:28AM by Rams Junkie.
I remember Jack Del Rio said at one point he knows linebackers. He knows what a linebacker looks like. It made sense when he said it. Martz from Green, Warner, Bulger, Harvard maybe even Kitna knew QBs. It seems like McVay knows WRs, QBs and a lot more. I remember the criticism of Woods contract when he signed. People felt like the Rams overpaid. Now Woods looks like he is underpaid. Picking up Kupp in the 3rd and bringing in Cooks seems to be evidence that McVay knows WRs. I thought they wanted Cooks ahead of Watkins last year.
What is the health status of Mike Thomas?
I liked Pharoh Cooper when he was drafted. To my eyes, he has athleticism and body control. I know he was a dynamic playmaker at the other USC (University of South Carolina) and he has had some nice returns in the NFL but McVay did not draft him. I wonder if he is just tall enough and has just adequate speed for the NFL. He looks like a 4th WR on an offense that only goes with 3 wideouts. But he does know the offense and he gives the Rams depth and options at this point in the year. Nick Williams is similar but I am glad they have him on the roster as depth. It stood out that they picked him up and played right away. Does Jo Jo get a couple of snaps on offense? I'd really love to see one or two of the young talented group that was drafted in the McVay era step up.
It's a golden opportunity for Reynolds. Catching the onside kick clean was clutch (even though Seabass kicked right to him). It's a golden opportunity for Higbee and Everett (maybe even Pharoh Cooper, Nick Wiliams, and KhaDarel Hodge). The Higbee touchdown was not an easy catch. Everett has gotten meaningful opportunities on the 2 point and third down in recent weeks so they are starting to trust him and he responded. To be an important regular contributor on McVay's offense on a 9-1 team in LA would be magic. Who wants it badly? Step up.
[www.rotoworld.com]
Cooper Kupp's Season-Ender
Monday, November 12, 2018
Patrick Daugherty The Morning After
How unlikely was the NFL rise of Cooper Kupp? For starters, he entered the league out of FCS Eastern Washington, the team known primarily for having a red field. He was also 24, which is positively elderly for a first-year player. Kupp was one day younger than rookie teammate Sammy Watkins, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2014 draft. A third-round pick after flopping the Combine, Kupp was slated for No. 3 duties in a Jared Goff-led offense, which sounded a lot different then than it does now.
One of the reasons? Kupp rocked it in 2017. While the youngest player in the league, JuJu Smith-Schuster, led all rookies in receiving (917), Kupp checked in second at 869. He averaged a robust 14.02 yards per catch and found the end zone five times. Kupp overachieved, but not in a way that suggested he was a one hit wonder.
He was not. Kupp came out hot this season, scoring five times in his first five games. He was on pace for 96/1,402/16 heading into Week 6 against the Broncos. That’s when he hurt his knee for the first time. Horse-collar tackled by Darian Stewart, Kupp was carted to the locker room. His year appeared over.
Only it wasn’t. An MRI mercifully revealed a mild MCL sprain. It was a miracle for fantasy owners and another data point in the Rams’ 2018 “team of destiny” powerpoint. It was not to be. After a surprisingly short two-week absence, Kupp made it only two more games before his left knee gave out for good. Finishing up a route after some light contact, Kupp went down in agony. He was in so much pain you could literally hear him scream on T.V. Goff had the looks of a player who knew he had just lost one of his top weapons for the season.
He has. Torn ACL. Now 25, Kupp will miss the Rams’ Super Bowl run and be in a race against time to get cleared for Week 1 2019. It’s the cruelest twist of fate for an unlikely star who did his part in putting a moribund franchise back on the map. Kupp’s loss is the first real test the Rams have faced during the so far charmed McVay era. It will take a group effort to replace him. Josh Reynolds will take over in three-receiver sets, but tight ends Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett could be the biggest beneficiaries. Both players were already getting more involved before Kupp’s injury, and each caught a touchdown in Sunday’s narrow win over the Seahawks.
More than likely, McVay’s system is good enough to overcome the loss of one of its best players. He will still be counting down the days until he gets Kupp back.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2018 09:28AM by Rams Junkie.
