Each weekday, theRams.com will be taking a look around the internet for the top Rams headlines of the day. Here's a look at what's out there for Friday, January 11th about your Los Angeles Rams.
DIVISIONAL ROUND GUIDE
On Friday, ESPN.com's NFL Nation reporters posted a guide for each Divisional round game. The guide provides an FPI win projection, matchup to watch, and predictions for each matchup — and on Friday Lindsey Thiry and Todd Archer are split on which team will move on to the NFC Championship game.
Matchup to watch: The Rams' first-down play-action vs. the Cowboys' defense. The Rams' foundational pass concepts start with play-action off the outside zone run look. It allows L.A. to create voids in coverage schemes, with Jared Goff throwing on rhythm to Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods. If the Cowboys lean on their core zone coverages, McVay can dial up early-down play-action to attack the middle of the field.
Todd Archer's pick: The stat that sticks out the most, however, is 5.1 yards per carry. Los Angeles allowed that during the regular season, and the Cowboys clearly want to build their game around Elliott. That's the best way to keep a high-scoring team off the field. And that's the best way for the Cowboys to advance to the NFC title game. Cowboys 23, Rams 20
Lindsey Thiry's pick: The Rams' run defense is certainly a concern facing the NFL's leading rusher in Elliott. However, it can't be overlooked that the Rams' defense has made late-game stops throughout the season when it has needed to in crunch time. As for their own running game, teammates said Gurley appeared strong and fresh in his first practices back from a knee issue that had kept him sidelined since Week 16. Rams 32, Cowboys 28
For a complete Divisional round guide for each game, click here.
Check out photos as the Los Angeles Rams practice to face the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
JARED GOFF, FUNNY GUY
Third-year quarterback Jared Goff is well known for his even-keeled demeanor leading the NFC West Champion Rams in his second year operating under head coach Sean McVay. On Friday, ESPN's Lindsey Thiry shed some light on the young quarterback's sense of humor.
Thiry recalled a humorous moment in Goff's Week 14 media availability:
"Take Week 14, when a reporter asked, innocuous enough, how would the Rams quarterback prepare to play a defense that had intercepted a league-high 21 passes?
'Try to throw it to our guys,' Goff deadpanned."
To view the entire article, click here.
KNOW McVAY, GET HIRED
After Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor and pass game coordinator/tight ends coach Shane Waldron received NFL head coaching interviews, former Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur was hired as the Packers head coach, and former Texas Tech head coach and friend of McVay Kliff Kingsbury was hired in Arizona, Twitter noticed the trend.
On Friday, the Bleacher Report gathered some of the best tweets poking fun at McVay's growing connections around the league.
All jokes aside, McVay responded to the notion that teams across the league are looking for the "next Sean McVay" on Thursday.
"I think, really, what it is more than anything else is, it's a reflection of our organizational success over the last couple years," McVay said. "I think it's certainly flattering. It's extremely humbling to even be mentioned in that. But, I know this, the reason that people are saying those types of things is because the Rams have had success"
To view the entire article, click here.
