WK 3-LA Rams @ Arizona Cardinals Pregame thread. 9/18/22-9/25/22

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Bears seventh-round 2020 draft pick Lachavious Simmons, an offensive lineman from Tennessee State, recently chatted with ChicagoBears.com about his background, how he's staying in shape during the COVID-19 pandemic and more. Here are five things you should know about the 6-5, 315-pounder:
(1) Simmons was the only player from a historically black college and university (HBCU) selected in this year's NFL Draft.
"I take a lot of pride in that because I'm glad I can continue the tradition of HBCU players getting drafted," Simmons said. "It's an honor to be the only player this year. But there's so much talent at HBCUs. There were plenty of other guys who deserved to be drafted."
This year marked the first time since 2012 that only one HBCU player was drafted. Three were chosen in 2018 and four were picked last year.
Restrictions resulting from the coronavirus certainly didn't help. Due to COVID-19, a Combine for HBCU players scheduled for late March in Miami was canceled. In addition, prospects were prohibited from visiting NFL facilities and scouts were not permitted to meet with players at their colleges.
Simmons feels that he'll be representing all HBCU players, saying: "I don't mind having that target on my back representing all of the HBCU players. I take pride in it and I'm going to make them proud."
(2) Simmons is also proud to be a native of Selma, Ala., a historic city that was instrumental in the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
On March 7, 1965, about 600 civil rights marchers left Selma heading east toward Montgomery, the state capital. After they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were attacked by sheriff's deputies and state troopers—a day that subsequently became known as "Bloody Sunday."
Two weeks later, Martin Luther King Jr. led a march over the bridge to Montgomery. Along the 50-mile trek, the group grew from 3,200 to 25,000. The marches helped generate public support for the civil rights movement, leading to the U.S. Congress passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
"I take great pride in being from Selma," Simmons said. "I love my city. Every year we have the Jubilee festival to remember those who marched across the bridge and I always attend the event. There's a great pride in being from here."
(3) Simmons is motivated by the memory of his first cousin, Roderick Ellis, who passed away on May 15, 2002 at the age of 12.

"He had an asthma attack and he lost too much oxygen to his brain," Simmons said. "It still drives me today because I know he didn't get to enjoy his full life. He had so much potential and I just want to do it for him."
Simmons and Ellis were inseparable as kids.
"We used to always hang out together," Simmons said. "If I wasn't at his house, he was at my house. We were real tight."
(4) While participating in the Bears' offseason program, Simmons has been shuttling between Selma and his family's farm about 15 miles away in Orrville, Ala.
"When we have all of our virtual meetings, I'll be in Selma because there's a better [internet] connection up there, and then I go down to the farm and I work out down there," he said.
"I have a rack, so I can do the basic bench, squat, incline and stuff like that. After I finish that, my dad got me a tractor tire. I flip the tractor tire down and back in a little pit, and then I drag the tire, Man, that's a workout."
(5) Simmons was nicknamed "Pig" as a kid by his grandmother because of the way he'd devour some of her special dishes.
"She used to always cook collard greens and cornbread and stuff like that and I used to just pig out on it," Simmons said. "That's how I got the nickname 'Pig,' and it just stuck."

Overview
Tackle/guard prospect with plus physical traits but lacking in power, instincts and technique. Simmons has starting experience at both guard and tackle, but his body type and style of play feel much more like a tackle. His long arms can be effective in his pass protection and he's an adequate athlete who shouldn't have severe scheme limitations as a run blocker. His lack of core strength combined with elevated pad level creates deficiencies as a drive blocker and, at times, in pass protection. Simmons has developmental traits but may be looking at an early visit on a practice squad.
Strengths
  • Offers guard/tackle flexibility
  • Good size with outstanding length
  • His 36-inch arms are on the highly-coveted side
  • Tackle experience shows up in pass pro at guard
  • Aggressive to snap off and catch twisting defenders
  • Runs and drives feet through initial contact
  • Quick in transitions on his combos up to second level
Weaknesses
  • Instincts are below average
  • Too much wasted motion on initial actions off snap
  • Has a tendency to pop up tall in lateral movements
  • Play and base feel very narrow for a guard as a run blocker
  • Will need to improve his core strength
  • Allows leakage around his edges against the run and pass
  • Unable to redirect rushers once they get into his edges
 

Stout

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I remember people saying Hernandez was a terrible signing

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Myself, for sure. I haven't watched closely enough to see how many inside pass rushes he's given up, but that IOL has given up a lot. We'll see on Hernandez. He's not the weakest link on this line ATM for sure.
 
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cardpa

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I really wish we would start Williams, or even Benjamin, and bring Conner off the bench like last year. I just don't think Conner is a bell cow type back. I think he's at his best when he gets maybe 8 - 10 touches a game.

Last year he would come in the game to spell Chase and would be all super charged and nasty. A battering ram fighting like a demon for every inch. I don't think he can sustain that as a starter. Just my opinion though.
Pittsburgh tried to make him a bell cow back and it failed. Too many injuries. Even with the timeshare last season he still got nicked up. If the Cardinals keep trying to run him 20 times a game he will miss time.
 

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Pittsburgh tried to make him a bell cow back and it failed. Too many injuries. Even with the timeshare last season he still got nicked up. If the Cardinals keep trying to run him 20 times a game he will miss time.
The guy has 27 touches (rushing attempts and targets) over two games.
 

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This might be the only way Kliff's offense is "innovative"

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Jones hardly looked like a challenge for Humphries. It appears like Jones is done, finished, a shell of what he used to be.
Jones pretty much always feasted on below average tackles. Good tackles often owned Jones. Look at his stats against Andrew Whitworth... Whitworth not only didn't give up sacks, he also owned him in the run game.

That doesn't mean I feel the Cardinals did enough to address edge in the offseason, but Jones definitely wasn't the answer.
 

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Jones hardly looked like a challenge for Humphries. It appears like Jones is done, finished, a shell of what he used to be.

Yep. There was nobody good available in FA to replace Jones, that's not a fair criticism.

But Keim definitely should have drafted an Edge rusher to develop.
 
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Krangodnzr

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Anyone living in the greater Los Angeles area can attest to how little enthusiasm there is for the Rams here. It's like they are a minor league baseball team or something, and I don't think I'm exaggerating.
 

RON_IN_OC

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Anyone living in the greater Los Angeles area can attest to how little enthusiasm there is for the Rams here. It's like they are a minor league baseball team or something, and I don't think I'm exaggerating.
They even get less support than the Angels.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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I said this.



And this.


I also said Kiem has made some HR signing.

That poster said Kiem hadn't had any good signing and thought all 6 I mention were poop.
If you’re talking about me I was laughing at a list containing a long snapper, a backup QB and journeymen as evidence of his free agency prowess. And I’d do so again for any list with a long snapper and backup QB. Why didn’t you list the punter and kicker?
 

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Jones pretty much always feasted on below average tackles. Good tackles often owned Jones. Look at his stats against Andrew Whitworth... Whitworth not only didn't give up sacks, he also owned him in the run game.

That doesn't mean I feel the Cardinals did enough to address edge in the offseason, but Jones definitely wasn't the answer.

Completely agree.. we def did not do enough but Jones was def not the answer. He is 100% in line w the typical fall off for edge rushers age 32 an up (I did a very analytical post on this in early off season).
 

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I was interested in seeing what we were doing at DE because the glimpse I caught during the game seemed like a random mix. I think everyone ran through there.

So I went back and watched

Watt Golden
Watt Golden
Watt Golden
Allen Golden
Allen Golden
Gardeck Golden (3-4)
Fotu Kennard
Allen Kennard
Kennard Dimukeje
Kennard Dimukeje
Watt Golden
Golden Thomas (White boy, can't see number)
Golden Gardeck
Kennard Gardeck
Dogbe Dimukeje
Dimukeje Golden
Kennard Golden
Watt Golden
Gardeck Golden
Watt Golden
Watt Golden
Golden Kennard
Golden Gardeck (3-4)
Kennard Golden
Dimukeje Kennard
Dimukeje Kennard
Dimukeje Kennard
Watt Golden
Kennard Golden
Kennard Golden
Kennard Golden
Dimukeje Kennard
Kennard Mystery White Boy (Thomas?)
Watt Golden
Gardeck Golden
Gardeck Golden
Gardeck Golden
Gardeck Golden
Gardeck Golden
Golden Collins (3-4)
Gardeck Golden
Watt Golden
Dimukeje Golden
Dimukeje Golden


2nd Half

Golden Gardeck (3-4)
Watt Golden
Collins Golden (3-4)
Watt Kennard
Dimukeje Collins (3-4)
Fotu Kennard
Dimukeje Kennard (3-4)
Dimukeje Golden (3-4)
Watt Golden
Dimukeje Golden (3-4)
Dimukeje Golden (3-4)
Golden Gardeck
Golden Gardeck (3-4)
Watt Golden
Gardeck Golden (3-4)
Watt Golden
Dimukeje Collins (3-4)
Watt Collins
Watt Golden
Watt Golden

OT

Dimukeje Collins (3-4)
Golden Gardeck
Watt Golden
Watt Golden
Fotu Golden
Gardeck Golden (3-4)


Far more 3-4 defense in the 2nd half when we were better so expect to switch back to that. Also far less Kennard. Was loads of Kennard in the first half and hardly any after. It would make sense to go back to 3-4 with Simmons and Collins at ILB considering Vigil has been garbage. Watt played a bunch at DT when not at Edge.

Drop Kennard. Bring up Sanders and give more snaps to Kennard and Thomas instead of the garbage mix of Fotu, Dogbe, Kennard. Even Collins snaps there were better.

Having just watched them a bunch I can say Allen is good. Lawrence shows promise. Gardeck is good. Golden, Kennard and Dimukeje are meh. Fotu is trash.


Also on top of all the crazy luck we had to win the game I completely forgot about that ******** shovel scoop to Benjamin that hit him in the face and was nearly intercepted with 0:34 remaining.
 

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