Peter Schrager
NFL Insider & NFL Reporter
Each week, FOX Sports activities NFL Insider Peter Schrager opens his pocket book and opines on three of the most important storylines across the league. Listed below are his takes heading into Week 8, together with love for Jared Goff, Steve Spagnoulo and the Los Angeles Rams.
1. Jared Goff is… Ron Burgundy
I’ve in all probability seen the film “Anchorman: Legend of Ron Burgundy” 100 occasions. If I am in a funk, “Anchorman.” If I am sick, the spot that “Worth is Proper” had in my routine as a child has been changed by “Anchorman” as an grownup. Lengthy flight? And I am on many… “Anchorman” by no means fails.
And through the years, my “favourite” character has modified. I might write a 2,000-word faculty thesis on the comedic choices Steve Carrell made in enjoying Brick Tamland. For some time there, I might begin a cocktail party or golf journey with a severe face and clarify how Paul Rudd’s best function was Brian Fantana, oddly considered one of his first in a protracted line of comedic ones in his embellished profession. I might sing from the mountaintops about David Koechner’s Champ Variety, make the case for Fred Willard’s Edward “Ed” (I at all times love how Ed is in quotations) Harken, and suppose Christina Applegate’s Veronica Corningstone is the proper character; a comedic foil performed subtly with some scene stealers of her personal. Even Vince Vaughn’s Wes Mantooth and Jack Black’s function as a motorcyclist are good scene stealers.
And but, on the tenth, twentieth, thirtieth, 5 hundredth viewing — although it could be trendier or higher fodder to say in any other case — I come away simply blown away by Will Ferrell’s work as Ron Burgundy. It may not be revelatory or some eyebrow-raising take — however he is the very best within the movie. He is the place the listing of greatness — and there is a lot — begins and ends.
So, why the 500-word classic Invoice Simmons (wannabe?) preamble on “Anchorman,” a twenty-year-old comedy, in a soccer column?
As a result of that is how I really feel about Jared Goff when watching the Detroit Lions offense. Week to week, I discover myself and my pals within the media doing flips over everybody else. Final week, we obtained phrase that Lions working backs coach Scottie Montgomery has named the dynamic working again duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs “Sonic and Knuckles.” Broad receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight finish Sam LaPorta are cherished up as top-five skills at their respective positions. We won’t speak sufficient in regards to the offensive line and the mastery of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
And Jared Goff is sort of the final one talked about. However right here we’re, seven weeks into the season, and it is Goff who’s numbers are completely insane and has his workforce — regardless of all of the hype and all of the expectations — atop the NFC standings with back-to-back huge highway wins. Goff completed a latest Monday Night time Soccer sport in Seattle by going an ideal 18 of 18 passing. In Week 6 in Dallas, he went 18 of 25 for 315 yards and three landing passes. And on Sunday, he accomplished 22 of 25 passes, and higher but, 13 of 15 when blitzed by Minnesota Vikings defenders. He is the one QB to have an ideal completion proportion in a half this season, and he has performed it thrice, per ESPN’s analysis workforce. And when the Lions wanted him most on Sunday towards the beforehand unbeaten Vikings, down 1 with about 50 yards to go in a minute, Goff stared down the barrel of a gun and did the job.
Goff won’t ever be on the duvet of “Madden” or have a remixed spotlight tape breakthrough on YouTube. However he may very well be essentially the most constant and dependable — and hell, clutch — QB within the NFL this season.
We like to gush about everybody else within the solid, however after the one hundredth viewing, Goff nonetheless is the man who makes all of it occur.
Actor Will Ferrell starred as Ron Burgundy amid an all-star solid within the movie “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”(Picture by Evan Agostini/Getty Photographs)
2. Spags as an HC candidate. Why not?
There’s been no higher coordinator in soccer the final two seasons than Steve Spagnoulo. His Chiefs protection has been stout towards the run, good towards the move, and as opportunistic as any unit within the sport. The Chiefs’ D additionally appears to avoid wasting its greatest for the most important moments. Spags is now 4-0, together with the postseason, in his final 4 video games versus Kyle Shanahan’s offense and Sunday’s 28-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers was a very dominant efficiency. And but, it is not just like the unit brings again the identical gamers yearly. A number of guys flee without cost company each single offseason and there may be completely no drop off. What number of models might deal with the lack of Willie Homosexual and L’Jarius Sneed to free company in the identical month and nonetheless simply be … effective?
A ton of credit score goes to the replacements at these positions, Andy Reid and normal supervisor Brett Veach for drafting a crop of youthful gamers to at all times be able to develop, study, and ultimately change the departing vets. However Spags is the person behind all of it working so nicely; the man on the change.
So, why hasn’t he gotten a sniff at any head teaching alternatives in the previous couple of years?
Everybody assumes — after I recommend it, publicly and in personal conversations — that he is content material in Kansas Metropolis. Effectively, he’s completely satisfied, after all. He is obtained 4 rings as a coordinator and is broadly seen as the very best at what he does. However he additionally has by no means stated he does not wish to be a head coach once more.
He is nonetheless simply 64 and does not appear to be letting up or trying to gradual it down any time quickly. On the very least, would not these homeowners and workforce presidents at the very least wish to meet with him, choose his mind and see for themselves in individual? That is nothing towards the younger Turks getting employed elsewhere — Dave Canales, Jerod Mayo and Brian Callahan all deserve their pictures — however should not Spags be at the very least thought-about for a few of these HC roles?
He was 10-38 in St. Louis as a head coach, however I am undecided anybody was successful there with what was happening with the Rams throughout that period. Everybody from Eric Mangini to Adam Gase to Rex Ryan to whoever else has gotten one other crack at being a head coach. Spags, although, cannot rating an interview.
I get it. It is also a ache within the butt ready for Spagnuolo when his workforce is enjoying into late February yearly.
However I might wish to see him get a glance or two this coming offseason. And if he says no, and is completely satisfied working for Andy and consuming his spouse Marie’s unreal veal parmigiana on Friday nights for the remainder of his profession, nice. However let’s not all assume he does not need one other crack at being the pinnacle coach. I feel any competitor in an trade like his would at the very least like the prospect to discover that chance.
Will Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo get a second head-coaching alternative? (Emily Curiel/The Kansas Metropolis Star/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Photographs)
3. Rams Revival
I used to be within the constructing on October 6, watching the Packers’ D stifle Matthew Stafford and hand the Rams their fourth lack of the common season, bringing L.A.’s report to a disastrous 1-4.
Right here we’re two weeks later, with a lower than spectacular 20-12 win over the Raiders on Sunday, and it looks like your complete outlook of the Rams 2024 season has modified.
A 2-4 report is nothing to jot down residence about, however lots has occurred in between. After a lot deliberation, the Rams performed it secure with Cooper Kupp, sitting him out of the Raiders sport, figuring out they play two video games in 5 days. Kupp obtained an additional week off and the protection carried the load on Sunday. Whereas that was occurring, the 49ers did not simply lose, however they misplaced their star extensive receiver Brandon Ayiuk for the season with an ACL harm, too. Seattle and Arizona each gained in Week 7, however the NFC West as a complete appears utterly extensive open.
Kupp is coming again, Puka Nacua is predicted to ultimately return, as nicely, and just one workforce within the NFC has a Tremendous Bowl-winning QB and HC tandem that is introduced the chip residence to its metropolis. That workforce is the Rams. Thursday evening towards the Vikings can be an awesome one. The Vikings are available in offended, and Kevin O’Connell was Matthew Stafford’s OC when the Rams gained the Lombardi again in 2021. However this one is anyone’s to win. And so is the NFC West.
Cooper Kupp’s anticipated return is one motive issues are wanting up for the Rams. (Picture by Brooke Sutton/Getty Photographs)
Stat of the Week
Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning (2015) are the one QBs within the final 30 years to throw extra INT than TDs whereas main their groups to a 6-0 begin. The 39-year-old Manning had 7 passing TDs and 10 INT in his 6-0 begin in 2015 — a season that led to a Tremendous Bowl 50 victory, per NFL Analysis Plus.
Peter Schrager is an NFL Insider for FOX Sports activities and a bunch of “Good Morning Soccer” on NFL Community. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter at @PSchrags.
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