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If anyone knows the heat Pete Carroll is taking after the ' final Luis Perdomo Jersey offensive play in their lo s, it's Jim Harbaugh. took major heat in 2013 after his goal-line offense threw three pa ses and never gave the ball to running back inside the 5-yard line in the lo s to the . On Friday, the current University of Michigan coach told he believed the made a good call, but cornerback just made a better play. "I really thought they had a good play call, Aaron Loup Jersey " Harbaugh said. "That was an insightful play against the goal-line defense. A really neat combination that they had, was an inside pick play."It really was open and that young man from the made a play, that is a play the stars of the game don't make, and he made Blake Snell Jersey a play that was -- at best that ball gets knocked down and incomplete, but to make an interception on that play was, what a phenomenal play. That was a play of a lifetime and all credit to him for making it." Harbaugh said similar to how he was critiqued for not giving the ball to Gore in 2013, it's an easy play to criticize in hindsight. "They still had two downs to Ian Kinsler Jersey give the ball to ," he said. "In that situation, I said that before, after it's over, yeah you would love to go back and try a running play, giving it to and see how that would have worked out after you know how the other worked out but that's football, that's the game. My opinion was it was a good play call and an incredible Dinelson Lamet Jersey play by the ." The latest Podcast and plays a free agency edition of "Who Do You Trust?" Find more content on .

Tulane cornerback Lorenzo Do s, who had 15 interceptions in three seasons with the Green Wave, announced via Twitter that he is giving up his senior season and heading to the Mike Moustakas Jersey NFL. Do s (5-foot-11, 187 pounds) also had 20 pa Brad Boxberger Jersey s breakups in his career. Do s has good speed and great instincts, and was a three-year starter for the Green Wave. Do s, who is 20, never redshirted and had five picks as a true freshman. He had Homer Bailey Jersey seven interceptions as a sophomore in 2013, taking two back for TDs and leading the nation with 185 return yards. This season, he had three picks and nine breakups. As with any player, his pre-draft workouts will be important. But Do s might be scrutinized a bit more because teams always need corners. His size is fine and his production excellent, and his 40 times, especially, will Lucas Duda Jersey draw interest. He looks to be a mid-round pick, which means he could Ryan Goins Jersey go late on the second day but also last until midway through the third day. Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter .

The 2020 will look significantly different from the group that ended the 2019 Babe Ruth Jersey season. For starters, the Panthers made a coaching change, replacing Ron Rivera with Matt Rhule, who served as Baylor's coach the previous three years. On the field, the Panthers made a plethora of moves, starting with the release of former league MVP, . Carolina replaced Newton with , signing the veteran quarterback to a three-year, $63 million deal. Speaking of contracts, the Panthers also made the NFL's highest-paid running back by coming to terms on a four-year, $64 million extension.During the draft, the Panthers made history by using all seven of their picks on the defensive side of the ball. Specifically, the Panthers added several big pieces to their defensive line, including first-round pick , second-round pick and sixth-round pick , who played for Rhule at Baylor. Carolina's four other picks included safety , cornerback Jr., safety Jr., and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver III.Now that we've spent some time recapping their offseason, let's take a look at five of the Panthers' biggest position battles heading into training camp.1. SS: vs. Jeremy ChinnCarolina traded up to acquire Chinn with the 64th pick in the draft, which should tell you how much they value his potential. And while Chinn is expected to be the Panthers' starting strong safety at some point, don't be surprised if Burris, a free agent signing who is coming off his best season to date, is Carolina's starter when the open the season against the . The main question Matt Barnes Jersey surrounding Chinn is how the Panthers plan to use him, as the Panthers believe that his athleticism may allow him to line up at other spots if he is not a Week 1 starter."I think we look at him as a guy who can be trained as a safety and (play) as a nickel, SAM. He'll be able to go out and play No. 2 to the field," Rhule said of Chinn, via The Charlotte Observer. " He can also be able to come back in nickel and dime. Maybe even be able to defend some of the backs and tight ends. I think when you look at the NFC South and you see the tight ends that we have to face, when you see the running backs that we have to face, having guys like Chinn that can give us some match ups against those guys."2. CB: vs. Troy Pride Jr.The Panthers had a lot of turnover in their secondary this offseason. They did not bring back , or , replacing them with Pride, Thomas-Oliver and Apple, a former first-round pick who made 15 starts for the last season. is the team's bets cornerback, but they need a proven No. 2 opposite him. Eli Apple appears to be the favorite here, but fans should not rule out Pride, who has already gotten the attention of his new head coach."I had a great video conference with him one day," Rhule said of Pride, "and my wife was actually cooking on the other side where I was doing the video conference and afterward she said, 'Who was that? That's a profe sional.' Just a really, really mature guy and he's played a lot of football. So in a year where there is no offseason program, no OTAs as of right now, I think he has the maturity to come in and help us in training camp."As Rhule alluded to, Kevin Plawecki Jersey the cancellation of OTAs and minicamps is something to consider when looking at position battles between veterans and rookies. But with that being said, the rookies who were diligent with their individual preparation over the past several months could very well be in the thick of things as far as position battles are concerned. It appears that Pride, who was also a succe sful sprinter on Notre Dame's track team, could parlay his preparation into a starting job.3. RG: Michael Schofield vs. Center and right tackle appear to be the only returning starters from Carolina's offensive line. Right guard , the Panthers' lone Pro Bowler on the offensive line a year ago, was traded for , a two-time Pro Bowl left tackle for the and . The team also went out and signed , a six-year veteran with 60 career starts under his belt. With Miller slated to be the team's new left guard, the Panthers' vacancy at right guard will likely come down to Schofield and Daley.Daley, a six-round pick in the 2019 draft, was forced to play early last season and it showed, specifically when it came to pa s protection. That being said, that experience should help him as he looks to start on a full-time basis in 2020. Standing in his way is Schofield, a seven-year veteran who served as the ' starting right tackle when Denver defeated Carolina in Super Bowl 50. Along with his experience, Schofield's previous time working with several Panthers should also work in his favor. He played with Okung and for current Panthers offensive line coach Pat Meyer in Los Angeles. He also spent three seasons in Denver with Paradis, a fellow member of the Broncos' 2014 draft cla s.4. Backup QB: vs. P.J. WalkerWhile Bridgewater is firmly entrenched as the team's starting quarterback, the same can't be said about who will back him up. Grier, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft, made two starts as a rookie, throwing four interceptions while completing le s than 54% of his pa ses. Grier's familiarity with his returning teammates should give him some sort of advantage heading into camp.Walker, who played for Rhule at Temple from 2013-16, was on pace to become the XFL's MVP this past spring before the league's shutdown. In J. D. Martinez Jersey leading the Houston Roughnecks to a 5-0 start, Walker threw for 1,388 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. Walker, who has been living in Charlotte for the last several months, has been preparing for the season by training with several NFL players, including starting quarterback . The quarterbacks have been training with former Duke quarterback."He's a guy that with the right opportunity, right time, right circumstances, he'll do the same thing in the NFL," Boone said of Walker, via The Observer. "He's sharp, he's polished."5. LB: Tahir Whitehead vs. Jermaine CarterThe Panthers said goodbye to a franchise legend when Luke Kuechly retired, and though the team made defense its priority in the draft, Roger Clemens Jersey they did not bring in a clear heir apparent this offseason to line up next to Shaq Thompson on the second level of the defense. The one addition they did make comes in the form of Tahir Whitehead, who struggled defending the pa s last season with the Raiders.Whitehead's experience might give him the early edge in this battle, but the door is clearly open for one of the team's young players to kick it in and claim the opportunity to replace Kuechly. Jermaine Carter is the more interesting of the third-year players, a fifth-round pick who racked up double-digit tackles in the season finale against the Saints. Andre Smith, selected two rounds after Carter in 2018, is likely an afterthought unle s he can wow the coaching staff during camp.And then there's Christian Miller, a pa s-rushing specialist who could be a factor as an outside linebacker but isn't a like-for-like replacement for what Kuechly brings to the table. While he or Smith could be a factor, the coaching staff will likely be happy if the young Carter can take charge of this battle during the month of August.

Welcome to Camp Whispers. We've spread our reporters acro s the country and will bring you real-time insights as teams prepare Austin Meadows Jersey for their first preseason games. Here's today's batch:* opens his preseason Saturday night in Minnesota against the at 8 ET. NFL Media's Jeff Darlington, at camp, reported that after installing the offensive playbook first in the offseason and again to open training camp, Winston is now focusing on his mechanics: "This is the first opportunity he's had to really zone in on specifics all year around at the quarterback position, so this past week, for instance, Winston (noted) that he's been working on making sure he opens his hips up so that he can throw acro s the body to the left side of the field. We're talking about some very technical details now as it pertains to Winston's game." Our resident GM Charley Ca serly on how to watch rookies like Winston in camp and the preseason: "A lot of times people get hung up on, 'what were his stats of the day? Oh, he had a good day, a bad day.' When you're evaluating rookies, what you're trying to do is, first of all, what can you build on? Do you see the Avisail Garcia Jersey flashes of the skills that made you take this guy with the first pick? Yes, you see the arm strength. You see a quickne s of release. This guy does have decision-making ability. Now, do you see it every play? No, because it's a learning experience right now as he's learning the offense. He'll be the most inconsistent in the blitz period." More from Ca serly on Winston's technique and what he needs to addre s: "He has a tendency to drop the ball instead of throwing it right from the ear. When you drop the ball, you telegraph your throw a split second to the defense to react, so keep the ball up high. He's trying to do a better job of that. Sometimes the ball will sail on him, go too high. That's because he's over-striding, so he's trying to shorten his stride." Transaction news: Rex Ryan's linebacker off waivers, a day after he broke. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport broke the news, which the team later confirmed. "This seems like a joke but is really not a joke -- Rex Ryan has claimed the player who punched in the jaw and knocked him out for six-to-ten weeks," Rapoport said. Ryan drafted Enemkpali in the sixth round last year. Rapoport reported the heard Enemkpali's side of the story before bringing him in. Former QB Joe Namath called into 'Inside Live', spoke with Rhett Lewis and credited GM Mike Maccagnan for bringing in . Namath also said he liked Enemkpali's potential: "I thought he was a good player when I watched him last year, too. He's an up-and-comer, great on special teams, the guy has some quickne s too. He's a good teammate but you can't lose Chaz Roe Jersey you poise either on the field or off the field ... I'm glad he has another opportunity to play in Buffalo." Namath on Smith: "One of the things we learned when we were kids growing up, hopefully, is you don't put your finger in somebody's face. That can get you in trouble." With Smith, the team is said to be looking to add another veteran presence to the QB room, where Fitzpatrick is now the starter. NFL Media's Rand Getlin reported Tuesday the team is considering Rex Gro sman, and the also reached out to . Getlin reported, however, that a reunion with after the parties talked. Ca serly: "When you ask people out there they give you names, and they say 'this isn't a very strong list.'" Contract bits, from Rapoport. Re: : " Chris Archer Jersey Arthur Blank was very clear he wants to be a Falcon for life and they are closing in on making it happen."Re: : "If there has been any progre s it has been incremental at beast." Rivers wanted to get a deal done by the team's first preseason game (DAL @ SD, Thurs 10 ET, NFL Network), but Rapoport said the QB is also content to play out the last year of his deal. Speaking of the , our Michael Silver was with the team this morning in Pittsford, New York. According to Silver, explained that, under Ryan, he feels comfortable putting a sweater on during a team meeting or not worrying about which socks he wears onto the practice field. Under former coach Doug Marrone, Dareus said, he felt restricted in matters that went well beyond football. Find Silver on the bandwagon, where he's certainly not alone: "Shady believes he is an MVP candidate and I am inclined to agree. He talked about (offensive coordinator) Greg Roman ... and how good he is at getting backs in space ... I'm expecting big things from , and so is Rex Ryan." has played in 11 of 15 career preseason openers. As the ' walk-through today in Foxborough, however, Brady was in court challenging his four-game suspension. and throughout the day on NFL Network. Stacey Dales reported that he's not likely to play in tomorrow's preseason game against the at 7:30 ET. This means extended time Ji-Man Choi Jersey for , who Dales said could see significant time tomorrow night given that QB3 was only recently brought in and has not seen significant practice time. Here's an inside look at how the are traveling to San Diego for their preseason opener (Thurs., 10 ET). You can find coverage of the game on NFL Network as round two of a double-header that begins with - at 7:30 ET. Thanks, from your whisperer, for reading. The latest Podcast and recaps the first Hard Knocks episode in Houston.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- There is something admirable about the typically conservative Tom Coughlin, facing reports that he is coaching for his job at age 69 and after two wins, going for it on fourth-and-2 Alex Claudio Jersey while up 10 late in . This, of course, despite the fact that the ' offense showed no signs of being able to overcome a 13-point deficit, never mind the 17-point difference Coughlin was trying to create.There is also something heartbreaking about the fact that the play resulted in the ' fourth lo s this season that came within the last 13 seconds of a game. It was the team's fifth lo s this year after beginning the fourth quarter with a lead. It was the ' third lo s in a row, and fourth in their last five games. The season-opening debacle in Dallas was a separate matter with its own set of bizarre circumstances on the final drive. The game was a shootout. The were the .This was supposed to be Russell Wilson Jersey the time that Coughlin got it right. Instead, a familiar, noodling play call on fourth-and-2 resulted in a halted route and a logjam at the target where was supposed to throw the ball. picked it off, and Coughlin was left explaining away why he gave his dead-in-the-water opponents the ball back down just 10 points with 8:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.The ' drive, which lasted 22 snaps and took the team from the 5:03 mark of the third quarter to the 8:50 mark in the fourth, yielded zero points. "I went for it on fourth-and-2 thinking that that would certainly give, after the long drive and the amount of time used up in the drive, I thought that was the play at the time," Coughlin said. "I still do. Obviously we didn't score there, we had an interception there. They drove, kicked a field goal and then we didn't do anything with the ball again." Coughlin was asked why a thousand different ways but his answer didn't change. "I thought that was the play," he said. "I thought that was the play." This could all end up being Jurickson Profar Jersey a humorous sidenote if the end up falling into the playoffs. Not even the are eliminated in the NFC East at 3-8. And quite honestly, there are coaches out there who would rather coach against anyone else in the playoffs besides Coughlin, no matter how ravaged the ' roster is. But this could also end up being Coughlin's last stand. "We were all just sitting there waiting to see what the call is going to be," said , who was one of many players on the field waving the kick team off on that fourth down. "We decided to go for it and we didn't get it -- you get on defense, you play defense and you make stops. You can never let plays determine the outcome of a game unle s they are plays that are in the fourth quarter with seconds, no time on the clock. That is the only way." After the game, cornerback talked about the symbolism that accompanies a gesture the make at the beginning of every fourth quarter. They all place their index finger in the air, which means that everyone -- together -- needs to step their game up another level. There is one quarter left.It pairs nicely with Coughlin's most popular mantra, which has Danny Santana Jersey always been "Finish." He says it every single day. "We just believe in each other and just -- take it up another level," Amukamara said. "Why we're not finishing in the second half? I couldn't tell you. That's the coach's job. I mean, of course, I have my opinion but I'm not going to share it with you." Sadly, the inability to do so cost the again. Looking back at the team making the gesture on Sunday was more ironic than anything. Was it more painful than ? Was it worse than ? Did it hurt more Adrian Sampson Jersey than as time was running out ? Maybe, if only because there was so much of a chance to see it coming this time. There was history and knowledge and the inherent awarene s in every staff member that this team has a tendency to crack a little bit when the pre sure mounts. "We have been in position to win games and we haven't won," Coughlin said. "I'm taking full responsibility for that. But still, we're there. As I told the team, we've got to find a way to finish the game, to win a 60-minute game and be in position at the end of the game to win it. It seems like back and forth we do have opportunities, even offensively, to end the game before they get the ball on the final drive and we haven't been able to do that."

I used to love watching Chris Cookie Coleman playing for Palace, in the early 1990s. Back in the day, Sir Steve Coppell even converted Coleman into a makeshift striker during a struggling spell in the early 90s, with a pretty good return. A very clever footballer, sweet left foot, Coleman adapted well to his new role within the side, and definitely saved Palace a few quid in the transfer market back then.However, when Palace were relegated from the Premier League in 1995, Coleman kicked up a ma sive stink. He, like many of our other relegated team, wanted out, and wanted out at the very first opportunity. He was clearly too good for the then First Division, but his attitude was poor, and ultimately, we caved in and sold Coleman to the then Premier League champions, Blackburn Caleb Smith Jersey Rovers for 2.8 million.Most Palace fans at the time were gutted he left, but there was no benefit to us in him hanging around, potentially upsetting the morale of the dre sing room, and to be honest, he became a sulker. Blackburn was a very good career move for Cookie, but unfortunately, his career did not go to plan and he suffered Achilles injuries, and then the fateful career ending broken leg in the car crash which thankfully he survived.We are (eventually) quite a forgiving lot down at Selhurst Park. So much so, that Coleman was even voted into the Palace Centenary XI in 2005. He had struck up a very good partnership with Richard Shaw. I can think of few better centre backs or left backs we have had since Cookie, (Ashley Cole was the only JT Riddle Jersey po sible left back who was better in my opinion).Fast forward nearly twenty years, and Coleman is now being down in SE25. Whether or not Palace are being used as a smokescreen to his proposed new deal with the Welsh FA remains to be seen, but we have definitely been played in this way previously. If Coleman doesnt return to Palace, I, for one, would not be shedding too many tears.Dont get me wrong, most of us football fans romance about one of the favourites coming home, the prodigal son returns, you get my drift. At Palace, Deven Marrero Jersey we have had plenty of examples of these down the years. The most Ginger man ever, David Hopkin had two stints with us. Neil Shipperley (once referred to me as owning a frame the size of a small tower block and The QE2 turns faster than Shipps), the wonderfully skilled Dougie Freedman and the robust Andy Gray are also examples of players who have returned to us in years gone by with mixed outcomes of succe s and failure.Personally, I dont think Coleman fits into the prodigal son, or returning hero bracket. My opinion also differs from the widely publicised opinions of CPFC 2010, that our new Manager should have a connection to Palace. I dont think this is relevant in this appointment fresh ideas and (even more) fresh faces are the things that Palace desperately need, which, for me, definitely rules out Coleman.There are also various doubts over Colemans ability as a Manager. Personally, I dont think he is as bad as some people have made out, he got off to a great start at Fulham, and had a good stint in charge there. One could argue that this job was easy for him, as he only had to make the transition from player to manager, and being captain there, he would have already gotten the respect of the dre sing room anyway. But, in this ever changing fast paced game of football management, he was on his way soon after and had some mixed fortunes in his following roles.Real Sociedad would have been a dream job, lets face it, most managers would want a crack at Spanish football, let alone the beautiful lifestyle on offer over there. A love of this lifestyle supposedly let Coleman down in Spain though, and he was on his way Martin Prado Jersey back to Blighty, and literally sent to Coventry. Here, he did spectacularly average in the Championship, with a pretty decent squad of players at his disposal to be fair. Following a very poor 2009-10 season, he was on his bike again. A very succe sful spell in Greece then followed, with Lari sa. Due to financial problems there though, his time was cut short after eight months, and he was once again, returning to Britain.Naturally, the Wales job then followed for Coleman, and being a proud Welshman, I am sure he would have jumped at the chance of bo sing his country, even in the tragic circumstances of the Cameron Maybin Jersey death of his predece sor, and good friend, Gary Speed. His record of four wins from fifteen games in charge of Wales is not that bad, when you consider the shortage of quality in the Welsh ranks.But there still seems to be a false arrogance about Cookie, and to be perfectly frank, I would call him an average manager. He may have a very attractive wife, but this doesnt make him our saviour. But maybe this is what Palace will have to settle for the role of Crystal Palace manager is not exactly an exciting one for somebody at the moment it could become a labour of love for somebody with genuine feeling for Palace, but for me, Colemans authenticity to all things Palace is just not there, and its not genuine and I think he would be the wrong manager for us right now. So, sorry Cookie its a no from me.

This is going to be tough for some of you fans to comprehend, mostly because you folks aren't the most rational fans in the world. Seriously. I live in AFC West country. Plus, I had season tickets and covered the for years, and the dirty little secret here is the far outweigh the fans in terms of unreasonable expectations. I won't even argue this. It's an accepted fact.So, I know I'm going to regret this, but I'm going to have to ask the fans to keep an open mind with what I'm about to tell you. The win in XLIX was probably Bryan Reynolds Jersey the best thing that could have happened to your team for the upcoming season.For starters, the debate about the best quarterback of this generation is done. I mean, most discerning football fans already knew this. But even the most ardent fan has to now admit is the best quarterback of his generation. I mean, the same defense that turned Manning into Bobby Hurley against UNLV in 1990 allowed Brady to put the ball up 50 times against them and throw four touchdown pa ses. That defense, which looked like the Ultimate Warrior going up against the Honkey Tonk Man at Summer Slam 1998, let Brady overcome the biggest fourth-quarter deficit in history.So, it's over. Don't make me fly over Middle America and drop off leaflets for those few isolated holdouts hiding in the Steven Brault Jersey Rocky Mountains. Because for you and me, we both know it is over.And the good news is has to finally know it, too.No amount of pa sing records, insurance commercials or keep-away ball pranks can ever convince anybody that he is the best of his era. Not that it's a bad thing. Manning is certainly a great NFL quarterback. Easily one of the top-20 quarterbacks of all time. Plus, he was invited to the "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special." So, things aren't so bad for him. The only thing is, he's never going to be considered better than Brady.And that's not a good thing, that's a great thing.Manning now has the chance to end his career as a winner. He's got one more chance to erase those last two blowouts (yes, losing by 14-points is a blowout) and go out as a winner. That has been made much easier without that nagging ego trying to convince him that he's the best quarterback of his generation, because he's clearly not in Dave Parker Jersey that conversation any more.And to be honest, I kind of like Manning's chances in 2015. I really love the hiring of Gary Kubiak. No joke. He did a great job in Houston where he never really had an elite quarterback. had some nice seasons, including three 4,000-yard pa sing seasons. But Schaub is not at the talent Erik Gonzalez Jersey level of Manning, even in the late stages of Peyton's career.The reason why I love Kubiak is because of his zone-blocking scheme. I know, it's the kind of term football hipsters like to throw out there to sound important. But it really is. This offense will only work if you run the ball a lot. The know this. I mean, this is why Kubiak was brought in.Look at how well the did last year when was given the chance to run the ball. Denver won. The only ran into trouble when Manning threw the ball more than 40 times. In fact, the last three times Manning had more than 40 attempts last season was against the St. Louis Football Club, the and the (in the playoffs). The lost all three.So, the key is going to be to convince Manning to be more of a game-manager next season. Not on the level of Trent Dilfer, but more as the guy who is a threat to throw the ball from time to time. Thankfully, Kubiak will have an easier time convincing Manning to do so because he's not on this foolhardy quest to prove to everybody how great he is.All of that thanks to Brady. Seriously, if the had lost that , Manning would probably be out there throwing the ball 70 times a game to prove that he's still somehow better. But he doesn't have that problem anymore.So, yeah, I think this could be a great year for the . Thanks in no small part to Brady.Adam Rank doesn't consider himself a Manning-hater, more of a Manning-truther. You can Francisco Cervelli Jersey yell at him on Twitter .

Under , the Los Angeles Rams have consistently paved the way in offensive innovation. From McVay's outside zone-heavy offense he started with, to his usage of bunch formations and motion, and last year's evolution of their run game, teams have been trying to steal from the Rams since McVay was hired. This year, teams are likely to try again with a new wrinkle McVay is adding to the Rams' offense: the pistol formation.Youre at ground zero! McVay went from 0 snaps of Pistol to 96 snaps in 2023. And I know at least a few teams are studying the Rams Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) What makes this shift unique is that the Ramsneverran out of pistol under Sean McVay. The Rams did not record a single snap in the pistol in any season under McVay until last season. It was such a drastic shift that it's worth exploring why the Rams suddenly broke it out and where it could lead in their 2024 season.Why the Pistol?The Los Angeles Rams have had two main playbooks under Sean McVay, coinciding with their quarterbacks. , the Rams utilized a lot of under-center dropbacks off of play action. The goal was to try and create open looks for Goff and take some of the mental proce sing load off of him. Unfortunately, Goff became largelyonlygood on play-action, and as the Rams' run game declined with Todd Gurley's health and offensive line woes, the Rams' offense sunk with it. Enter , who completely changed their offense.Instead of heavy under-center, play-action dropbacks, McVay relied on Stafford's veteran savvy and leaned into giving him plenty of standard deep dropbacks. The Rams didn't totally stop using play-action but leaned on it le s and le s under Stafford-introducing a radical change that catapulted the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2021.In 2023, the Rams had an inauspicious start to the season, entering their bye week at 3-6 off of the heels of some ugly lo ses to the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Stafford suffered a thumb injury and the Rams limped into the bye week disheartened and seeking answers. It was here that McVay's genius struck again.They needed to find a new balance on offense, a way to reinvigorate their inconsistent ground game while still keeping the pa sing threat of Stafford with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.Thus, the Rams turned to the pistol formation, a unique blend of their under-center run game and shotgun pa sing game with Stafford. deployed it almost exclusively after their bye week and the results were immediate. The Rams jumped from roughly 4 yards per carry pre-bye to 4.5 post-bye despite runningmorein the second half of the season. After starting the season with three straight games under four yards Darren O'Day Jersey per carry, RB Kyren Williamsneverhad another game below four.The Rams had sprinkled in one or two plays out of the pistol in three different games before the bye week, but they truly embraced it post-bye. At the end of the 2023 season, the Rams finished fourth in the NFL in pistol plays, with a full 10.1% of their offensive plays. Keep in mind that the Ramsbarely used it in the first nine games of the season and finished with that tally. They hammered the pistol at teams down the stretch and it worked, with the offense regaining its spark and the Rams going 7-1 post-bye to make the playoffs.Why the pistol? What is so unique about the pistol that it unlocked the Rams' offense? I said earlier it was a happy medium between shotgun and under-center, and that was the original intent of the inventor.The pistol is a fairly modern innovation in football, with the widely accepted founder being Nevada head coach Chris Ault in 2004. In an effort to find a way to get his run game going in an ever-increasingly pa sing game, Ault devised the pistol formation-a marriage of under-center and shotgun principles.In shotgun looks, the run game can oftentimes be too slow-developing. Teams have fewer rushing options out of the gun, running backs are stuck waiting for plays to develop instead of already moving downhill when they get the ball, and opposing teams can key their pa s-rush based on where the back is lined up in shotgun. Shotgun also tends to have a lower output on play-action pa ses, and teams don't really respect the run game out of it. It is especiallydifficult to run outside zone out of the shotgun, due to the aiming points of the running back. It's generally become a pa sing-based formation, as the quarterbacks eyes are right away focused on the play ahead.In under-center looks, quarterbacks will have to drop back and find their marks in the pocket. A lot of quarterbacks in today's game don't quite have the footwork to adjust to this style of play, and it can throw off the rhythm of a pa sing game that a shotgun look could give. Shotgun is generally easier to pa s out of as it keeps the quarterback Zach Britton Jersey facing the defense without having to drop deep in the pocket first. However, under-center offenses are much better suited to the run game, as the back is already moving downhill when he gets the ball and where he's running can be disguised easier. As a result, play-action pa sing improves significantly under center, given the unpredictability of where the run is going and the added threat of alikely run threat. The goal of the pistol is to blend the two in a way that keeps the strengths of shotgun and under center.Rams pistol With the running back aligned behind the quarterback in the pistol, the Rams' offense kept the unpredictability of the under-center run game. The running back is already heading downhill with the handoff and teams can't tee off of his alignment. This formationalsokeeps the efficiency of the play fake with play-action pa ses. This formation can also open up the option game, although that's not something the Rams do often with Stafford (look at the Ravens with Lamar Jackson in 2021 and 2022 for examples).The pistolalsokeeps the pa sing strength of the shotgun pa sing game, as the quarterback is facing the play the whole way and already aligned away from the line of scrimmage.This also gave the Rams the advantage of dictating opposing personnel. Because of the threat of the run game (and the Rams' abilitytorun the ball), teams met them with five players on the line of scrimmage. Simply creating the threat of the run like this dictates what the opposing teamhasto do, and the Rams can base their offense from there. Given how well Sean McVay has built concepts to build off of each other and make 25 plays look like 250 different ones, being able to force the opponent to alter their defense in this way opens up their playbook. Add that to Stafford's ability to proce s defenses quickly and his mastery of the playbook, and the Rams' offense went from potent to downright unstoppable.The Rams finished the 2023 season 4th in pistol formation usage, hammering teams with it post-bye.LA finished with a 31.9% succe s rate out of the pistol, 2nd in the NFL. Expecting to see it even more in 2024. AJ Schulte (@AJSchulteFB) How did the Rams use pistol in 2023?The Rams were able to create plenty of looks out of the pistol last season, however, they had two main run calls out of pistol: Outside zone & duo. 42% of their runs out of pistol were outside zone, while a whopping 54% went to duo.This is a unique blend of both phases of Sean McVay's run game. McVay made his mark as an outside zone coach, something that he couldn't run as well while away from the under-center looks he gave Goff. Last year, Heston Kjerstad Jersey the Rams ran duo the most in the NFL, and it became their calling card. The Rams shifted away from outside zone to a more power/gap-oriented seemingly overnight last season, adding another wrinkle to McVay's arsenal.With the pistol, the Rams were able to do both, and do it well. Their 31.9% succe s rate on these runs out of pistol finished second in the NFL last season. With this ability to unlock more of , the Rams' offense skyrocketed, leading to the increased production they had over the second half of the season.What about the pa sing game? The Rams pa sed out of pistol on 53 plays last year, mainly using it in quick game pa ses. Hitches, slants, and outs were the throws they'd use the most here to generate quick, easy yards with defenders out of position having to focus on the run game. This worked, as the Rams boasted the second-highest succe s rate in the NFL on pistol pa sing at 47.2%.The Rams' pistol usage in 2024Given how often the Rams deployed pistol down the stretch of 2023, it's a given they will continue to do so in 2024 at a likely increased pace. It's unlikely they'll fully opt into the pistol in a way that resembles a college offense (hello, Kansas Jayhawks), but there are plenty of signs that the Rams bought into this in the offseason.I said above the Rams ran pistol the fourth-most in the NFL last season. Number one Jeremy Hellickson Jersey was the Atlanta Falcons, at 34.4% of their total plays, three timesthe rate the Rams used it. Why is this significant? The Rams' new quarterbacks coach, Dave Ragone, spent the last three seasons as the Falcons' offensive coordinator. Prior to that, Ragone spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears as the quarterbacks coach under OC Mark Helfrich, a former college offensive coordinator and head coach who ran the pistol at Oregon to great succe s with Marcus Mariota and spent time learning under Chip Kelly.While Ragone wasn't the primary play-caller in Chicago or Atlanta, he was undoubtedly a significant part of their game-planning and had significant input in the offense. Ragone's familiarity with the pistol offense likely played a part in why McVay hired him. As another connection, Ragone played for Greg Roman with the Houston Texans, who used the pistol offense to great effect with Lamar Jackson in his four years as Baltimore's OC.Another new hire the Rams made this offseason was , who became an offensive a sistant/pa s game specialist after spending 2023 as the offensive coordinator for the Iowa State Cyclones. Scheelhaase spent five years at Iowa State under OC Tom Manning, who ran the pistol plenty, a trend Scheelhaase continued into his play-calling in 2023.Additionally, new Rams' running back Blake Corum is familiar with the pistol run game. Last year, 17% of Michigan's run plays came out of pistol, placing them 44th in the FBS in total usage. 13.2% of Corum's runs came out of the pistol. While that might not be a majority, it's still a sizeable chunk of his usage. Corum's game-winning touchdown against Alabama in the Rose Bowl came out of a pistol look.BLAKE CORUM COULD NOT BE STOPPEDMichigan takes the lead in OT ESPN (@espn) The links continue to add up. Sixth-round rookie wide receiver played for head coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas. Sarkisian is a friend of McVay's and is frequently seen around the Rams at summer camps, with him and McVay picking each other's brains often. The Longhorns ran pistol on 17.7% of their plays last season, good for 31st in FBS.One thing that McVay can take away from Sark is the ability to motion intopistol looks from under-center or shotgun, a nifty twist that Sarkisian Caleb Joseph Jersey has used throughout his time at Texas. Given McVay's penchant for disguising plays, I'd imagine seeing that immediately lit a fire in his eyes.All of these dots keep connecting to the same point: The Rams are going to use pistolearlyandoftenin 2024. They found their advantage last year, and they can get even more deadly with it in 2024 .Last season, the Falcons and Dolphins were #1 and #2 in pistol usage. These two offenses were also at or near the top of the league in heavier personnel packages (12,21, 22), something I have alluded to the For those who don't know what the personnel means, 12 is one running back, two tight ends; 21 is two running backs, one running back, and so on. The San Francisco 49ers used these looks all the time, relying on Kyle Juszczyk's ability as a rusher, receiver, and blocker to keep defenses on their heels. Miami did this with Alec Ingold as their second-back (fullback), but Atlanta's is particularly interesting, given their previously established link through Ragone.When the Falcons used 21 or 22 personnel looks, they would oftentimes use two running backs instead of a fullback or pseudo-RB. Atlanta would deploy Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and Cordarrelle Patterson in the backfield together to create mismatch looks. While it didn't often work for them, largely due to teams not respecting any sort of pa sing threat, the usage is notable, particularly how the Rams can use it.The Rams can line up with their 11-personnel 3-WR sets McVay loves while putting both and Kyren Williams on the field together. They have the ability to replace a WR with Colby Parkinson, their best blocking tight end, or to get bigger personnelwhile still keeping Corum and Williams on the field together.This total flexibility the Rams can operate with offensively lets McVay dictate opposing personnel to create advantages, further enhanced by Stafford's ability as a proce sor.With the personnel they've added in the offseason, the Rams now have true flexibility to attack defenses evenbetterthan they could last season. With Puka Nacua gaining another year of experience, returning back to (hopefully) full health, and , the Rams' offense feels poised to once again be for the 2024 season, thanks to their newest innovation.