FOX will be broadcasting the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks
With a chance to play in Super Bowl LX, the Los Angeles Rams (12-5) are taking on the Seattle Seahawks (14-3) in the NFC Championship game Jan. 25 at Lumen Field, Washington, with 3:30 p.m. Pacific time scheduled for kickoff. The division rivals went 1-1 against each other during the regular season.
In their all-time history against each other, the #Seahawks are 29-28 against the #Rams.
For anyone looking to watch the game, FOX will be broadcasting the game nationally, so it can be watched on the FOX network, local FOX affiliates — Los Angeles’ is FOX 11 — and on the FOX Sports App. For those without traditional TV service, the game can also be watched on stream services that carry FOX, such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo, among others, and on NFL+ for those looking to watch on mobile devices.
The Rams are also hosting an NFC Championship watch party at SoFi Stadium that starts at 3:30 p.m. and doors open at 2 p.m., but tickets for the event have already sold out.
The Rams advanced to the NFC Championship after they beat the Chicago Bears in an overtime thriller on a cold and snowy night in Chicago. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, the Bears tied the game on a fourth-down pass from the 40-yard line. In overtime, when it seemed like all the momentum was with Chicago, Rams safety Kam Curl intercepted the ball, and the Rams went on to kick a successful field goal and win.
The winner of this game will play either the New England Patriots or Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl scheduled for Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Associated Press named Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua a finalist for their Offensive Player of the Year
As the Los Angeles Rams are preparing to face the Seattle Seahawks for a chance to go to Super Bowl LX, one of their players is making headlines for his performance during the regular season. The Associated Press named Rams wide Receiver Puka Nacua as one of five finalists for their Offensive Player of the Year.
Nacua also earned Pro-Bowl and First-team All Pro Honors for his performance this past season. The 24-year old has been with the Rams since they drafted him in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft.
This past season, Nacua had a league-leading 129 receptions and 1,715 total yards, second highest in the NFL, to average 13.3 yards per carry, and had 11 touchdowns as the Rams went 12-5. Additionally, he was a part of an offensive squad that averaged 30.5 points per game, which was the highest in the NFL.
His most recent game was Jan. 17 against the Chicago Bears in the divisional round, where Los Angeles won in an overtime thriller. Nacua had 56 yards on five receptions in that game.
The other four finalists for the award are: Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The winner of the award will be announced Feb. 5. Fellow Ram quarterback Matthew Stafford was named a finalist for the MVP.
The Rams will take on their division rival Seahawks Jan. 25 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games, including this week’s game. On top of Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon Prime subscription includes free shipping, exclusive deals, access to the Prime Day sales events, Amazon Music, a year of free GrubHub+ and more.
A standard Amazon Prime subscription is $15 monthly or $139 annually, but discounts are available for students and those on qualified government assistance. You can try Amazon Prime free for 30 days. You can also just subscribe directly to Prime Video and forego all the other Prime Benefits. A Prime Video subscription costs $9 monthly.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive home for the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games, including this week’s game. On top of Amazon Prime Video, an Amazon Prime subscription includes free shipping, exclusive deals, access to the Prime Day sales events, Amazon Music, a year of free GrubHub+ and more.
A standard Amazon Prime subscription is $15 monthly or $139 annually, but discounts are available for students and those on qualified government assistance. You can try Amazon Prime free for 30 days. You can also just subscribe directly to Prime Video and forego all the other Prime Benefits. A Prime Video subscription costs $9 monthly.
Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua delivered standout performances, but the Rams were unable to close out a game they once controlled, falling to the Seattle Seahawks in overtime
The Rams appeared firmly in command after taking a 30-14 lead in the fourth quarter. Defensive end Kobie Turner dropped into coverage and intercepted Sam Darnold at the goal line, but Los Angeles failed to capitalize. The offense went three-and-out on three consecutive possessions, including one that led to a 58-yard punt return touchdown by Rashid Shaheed, acquired by Seattle from New Orleans at the trade deadline.
Davante Adams missed the game with a hamstring injury suffered in Week 15 against Detroit, and his absence was felt in the red zone. Seattle’s defense forced the Rams to settle for two field goals from inside the 10-yard line to open their scoring.
Los Angeles limited Seahawks star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first half, holding him without a catch on one target. Smith-Njigba turned the tide after halftime, finishing with eight receptions for 96 yards and the overtime touchdown that set up the winning two-point conversion.
Seattle tied the game at 30-30 late in the fourth quarter after a strange sequence on a two-point conversion. What was initially ruled an incomplete pass was overturned on replay and ruled a backward pass, resulting in a fumble recovered by Seattle in the end zone for a successful try. After the game, coach Sean McVay said he was not making excuses but wanted clarity on how the play was reviewed after both teams were preparing for the ensuing kickoff. “I’ve never seen anything like that,” McVay said. “I grew up around the game.”
With 2:11 remaining in regulation, Rams kicker Harrison Mevis missed a 48-yard field goal wide right, his first miss of the season.
In overtime, Stafford connected with Nacua on a 41-yard touchdown pass to give the Rams a 37-30 lead.
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The Seahawks responded with a drive highlighted by a 21-yard toe-tap reception by former Ram Cooper Kupp. Seattle moved down to the 4-yard line, where Darnold found Smith-Njigba for the touchdown. The Seahawks then went for two, and tight end Eric Saubert slipped out after selling a block, hauling in his first catch of the game for the winning conversion.
Stafford threw for a season-high 457 yards, while Nacua caught 12 passes for a career-best 225 yards.
The loss drops the Rams out of the NFC’s top seed and leaves them likely headed for a road game in the wild-card round.
Fresh off a dominant display on home turf, the Rams have the chance to continue proving themselves on the road to hopefully earn their seventh win in a row
There’s a heap of excitement swirling around the LA Rams team and their wonderful fans. And can anyone be surprised? Now sitting atop the entire NFC conference, winning six in a row, boasting the front-runner for this year’s MVP, and playing an unstoppable level of football offensively and defensively, the Rams are not only legit Super Bowl contenders, they’re flat-out the best team in the NFL currently. Stafford has continued establishing his firm case for MVP alongside his all-star cast of offensive weapons. And on the other side of the ball, players like Emmanuel Forbes Jr, Jared Verse, and Byron Young, among others, have turned the defense into a clear-cut elite unit.
After a landslide 34-7 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, granted a few unlucky injuries sustained on their side, the Rams must now focus on an intriguing 6-6 Carolina Panthers team in week 13, who are currently second in the NFC South. Intriguing because, for a team that was considered bottom of the barrel last year, they’ve been teetering between greatness and lackluster throughout the current season.
There are plenty of promising positives surrounding this young and hungry Panthers team. Their new RB1, Rico Dowdle, has seemingly revived his career after a failed stint with the Dallas Cowboys. Many teams wrote off the six-year veteran as another journeyman running back, but upon signing with Carolina, Dowdle has since turned into one of the best running backs in the league.
When former starting running back Chuba Hubbard went down with a calf injury earlier in the season, Dowdle stepped up in historic fashion. He became the first running back since Dalvin Cook in 2020 to post two back-to-back games of 200 yards, one in week 5 against the Miami Dolphins with 206 rushing yards and 28 receiving yards, and the other in week 6 against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, with 183 rushing yards and 56 receiving yards. He seemingly overtook the starting job at the RB position, much to everyone’s surprise, including the Panthers’ coaching staff.
Another bright spot is their rookie wide receiver, Tetairoa McMillan, who has easily become their best receiving threat, and a standout among the entire rookie class this year. He is well on his way to earning more than 1,000 receiving yards, along with roughly 80 receptions. McMillan clearly has Pro Bowl level talent and should help elevate this team in the coming years.
Long gone are the days of Carolina’s defensive unit being the punchline of every joke. They are currently 16th in passing yards and 19th in rushing yards—while it certainly isn’t the best, it’s definitely a huge upgrade from what we’ve seen in recent years. And this is largely due to arguably their best player, cornerback Jaycee Horn. Horn was the former 8th overall pick in the 2021 draft, and has proved to be one of the more notable players at the position since then, and is now seen as a top 10 cornerback in the NFL.
The shaky area of the team still surrounds quarterback Bryce Young. Sure, he’s made massive strides of improvement from last year as a player and an overall leader. He’s had stellar games, like his otherworldly 448 passing yards and 3 touchdown performance in week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons, but he’s also shown flashes of his old self, like his previous match against the San Francisco 49ers where he had 169 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Bryce has given us glimpses of excellence, but lacks the consistency to take him over the hump to be considered an actual threat.
The injuries for Carolina are unfortunately plentiful, with CB Damarri Mathis (knee), G Robert Hunt (bicep), WR David Moore (elbow), LB Patrick Jones II (back), G Brady Christensen (achilles), and CB Corey Thornton (fibula) on the IR list. LB Claudin Cherelus (concussion), G Chandler Zavala (calf), C Cade Mays, LB Christian Rozeboom, LB Trevin Wallace, and CB Jaycee Horn (concussion) are listed as questionable.
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For the Rams, TE Tyler Higbee (ankle), S Quentin Lake (elbow), and OT Rob Havenstein (ankle) are on injury reserve. WR Tutu Atwell, who was on IR for the past few weeks, as been elevated to questionable, so hopefully he’ll fully return to action come Sunday. The other players listed as questionable are OT David Quessenberry and WR Xavier Smith.
Sunday’s game should be a fun one after the Thanksgiving festivities have cooled down. If your leftovers make it from Thursday until then, nothing pairs with Rams football better than a delicious sandwich packed with all the Thanksgiving fixings. Catch Stafford and company attempt to continue their gridiron excellence at 10:00 AM PST, Sunday morning.
The Los Angeles Rams scored 31 points in the first half of their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, resulting in a 34-7 victory, moving them into the No.1 seed in the NFC
This is the first time the Rams have held sole possession of the NFC lead since Week 13 of the 2018 season, according to ESPN.
Coach Sean McVay said it’s a “good thing” to have the No. 1 seed with only six games to go, though he emphasizes the only thing the Rams can control “is to have a great week of preparation.”
“I love the way we’ve responded from some setbacks,” McVay said. “I love the way that we’ve handled a little bit of success. And through 11 weeks, I’m proud of them. Now, let’s see what we can do through 12.”
He adds, “And I’m very confident that we’re going to give ourselves the best chance to do that because I’m betting on the people in that locker room.”
Here are some highlights that allowed the Rams to have such a blowout against the Buccaneers, earning them their sixth consecutive win.
Cobie Durant ignited the stadium with a 50-yard interception return, flipping momentum, giving the Rams excellent field position to score a touchdown. Puka Nacua was equally electric on offense, pulling down 7 receptions for 97 yards and proving once again why he’s one of the most reliable playmakers in the league.
The Rams’ offense was driven by the steady play of Matthew Stafford, who threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns. He showed complete command of the offense, spreading the ball efficiently and delivering two of his touchdown passes to Davante Adams, who proved to be a reliable red-zone and big-play target throughout the night.
The Rams are now Super Bowl favorites. With his amazing performance during this game and the rest of the season, fans at SoFi Stadium chanted MVP after Stafford’s second and third touchdown passes. Stafford completed 25 of 35 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a game that was largely decided by halftime.
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If Stafford is named the league’s most valuable player, he would be the oldest ever player to win his first MVP, and the third oldest player to win it, period.
With the support of Angel City Sports, the event was full of fun football action and unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime
This past Veterans Day, the Rams, The Hartford, and L.A.-based nonprofit for adaptive sports programming, Angel City Sports, invited members of the Rams Wheelchair Football Team into the gorgeous Rams Practice Facility nestled in Woodland Hills to unite through the glorious sport of football and celebrate the brave veterans who’ve served our proud country. As a massive token of gratitude, The Hartford, a chief disability insurer who has voiced support towards adaptive sports movement for over 30 years, has donated six custom-designed wheelchairs to members of the Rams Wheelchair Football Team, which consists of several U.S. military veterans, as a huge “thank you” for their immeasurable services both on active duty and here at home impacting our daily lives.
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
The event also featured a thrilling youth sports clinic where young athletes took center stage in the exciting action, honing their football skills with members of the Rams Wheelchair Football Team in an encouraging and nurturing environment. And once the Rams concluded their practice session, members of the team joined in the entertainment too.
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
Heartwarming appearances were made by star Rams running back Kyren Williams, as well as Jared Verse, Jaylen McCollough, Josh Wallace, Jake McQuaide, Terrance Ferguson, Josaiah Stewart, Bill Norton, Shaun Dolac, and Brennan Presley, who all made a splash in the adaptive youth football clinic.
Head Coach Sean McVay, and Coaches Nate Scheelhaase, Eric Yarber, Chase Blackburn, Ben Kotwica, Drew Wilkins, Carter Crutchfield, and Ron Gould stopped by to lend their kindness and football wisdom. Along with members of the Rams Wheelchair Football Team, the young athletes were taught the valuable lesson of inclusive play and the positive impact of teamwork.
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
“Being part of the event was really special,” Williams explained. “Seeing the passion and competitiveness of the Rams Wheelchair Football Team and getting to share the field with the kids reminded me what this game is all about. It’s about teamwork, resilience, and bringing people together through football—no matter how you play.”
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Molly Higgins, Los Angeles Rams executive vice president of Community Impact and Engagement, said “This partnership continues to embody what the Rams stand for – teamwork, inclusion, and giving back,” before continuing, “We’re proud to work alongside The Hartford and Angel City Sports to support our veterans and create opportunities for athletes of all abilities.”
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
“At The Hartford, we believe sports have the power to unite and transform lives,” said Claire Burns, chief marketing and customer officer at The Hartford. “Adaptive sports are a powerful catalyst to support veterans and athletes of all abilities on the field and beyond. This collaboration reflects our longstanding commitment to inclusion and our mission to ensure more people can experience the joy and community that sports bring.”
“Our collaboration with the Rams and The Hartford demonstrates what’s possible when organizations come together to invest in access and inclusion,” said Clayton Frech, Founder of Angel City Sports. “Honoring our veterans through the LA Rams Wheelchair Football Team and introducing youth to adaptive sports is a powerful way to build community and awareness.”
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Carson Wentz arrived in Philadelphia with big expectations, giving the Eagles fans hope.
Unfortunately, then came the injuries and setbacks that stole the momentum.
It’s a story that feels more human than headline-glamour, and Philly still has mixed feelings.
The Promising Rise
Drafted as the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Wentz showed promise. But it was in 2017 that things really kicked into gear, and by the time he got hurt near season’s end, he’d thrown for 3,296 yards with 33 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions in just 13 games. His passer rating was 101.9 in that stretch. He also rushed for 299 yards that season.
Credit: NFL Network-Facebook
That stretch had everyone talking. He had the kind of spark that made fans believe he could be special. And when you look at what defines the greats, like steady leadership and the ability to make a team feel, it’s easy to see why some thought Wentz might join top NFL quarterbacks of all time. For a brief stretch, he looked like he was heading straight there.
…And Then The Fall
One play in Los Angeles changed everything. An awkward step, an ACL tear, and suddenly his season was done. Nick Foles took over. They won the Super Bowl, and Wentz had to watch the celebration from the sideline.
Injuries have followed him ever since. Back, knee, head. All at different times. He played only 11 games in 2018, and the numbers were fine, but the rhythm was gone, as was the explosiveness.
In 2019, he posted more than 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns, but still, it simply wasn’t the same as he was pressing. By 2020, the confidence had cracked. The throws that once looked automatic were suddenly forced or late.
He bounced from Philadelphia to Indianapolis to Washington. Each stop brought the same story: flashes of talent, followed by inconsistency.
NFL executives started using a brutal word – “broken.”
They said he looked fine in practice, but when the games started, everything had to be perfect around him. If it wasn’t, his mechanics unraveled. He’d freeze up, double-clutch, miss the open read. He wasn’t the same athlete anymore, either, with the pocket becoming a cage.
The Verdict
By late 2023, the league had made up its mind, and analysts compared his situation to Sam Bradford, who was talented, got paid well, but was out of the league before 35.
And yet, people who’ve worked with him still like him. They describe him as earnest, coachable, and even kind. He tried to fix things, tried to make it work. But sometimes, football doesn’t give you another shot.
Why It Unraveled
The physical damage was part of it. But the mental toll might’ve been worse. Wentz never seemed to fully trust his body again. That led to hesitation. Hesitation led to mistakes. And mistakes, in the NFL, cost you your job.
The Eagles moved on. The Colts moved on. Washington did too.
More recently (2025), he signed with the Minnesota Vikings, seeing action after younger QBs were injured and revealing that he’s now more of a stopgap option than a long-term franchise leader.
Why Philly Fans Still Feel Something
If you’re a Philadelphia fan, you saw Wentz do something rare. He gave hope and made big throws. He helped the team earn an 11-2 record in games he started in that 2017 run, then got hurt, and the team won the Super Bowl with the backup. A lot of complicated feelings: gratitude, frustration… and sadness for what might have been.
The human side matters. Wentz wasn’t perfect; he made bad throws and had games where he struggled. But he also overcame injuries, came back, and tried to lead. Loved his team. The “could’ve-been” element resonates.
Ideally, What Could He Have Been?
Had Wentz stayed healthy, kept improving, and maybe adapted his game, he might have joined the ranks of the top-tier quarterbacks – those are QBs who remain elite 8-10 years, evolve when defenses evolve, maintain leadership.
The missing piece in Wentz’s story is the “sustained” part. One season isn’t enough. Injuries interrupted the rhythm. Changes in team staff, receivers, and the offensive line all added turbulence.
The Takeaway
So here’s what I came away with: Wentz achieved a level that gave hope. But he didn’t stay there. That doesn’t mean he failed. He still had a good career, made plays, and was a starting QB for many years. But he didn’t reach the “special” level that the very best QBs show.
And for Philly fans, it’s okay to feel both pride and disappointment. He gave you the thrill of imagining a franchise quarterback. You bought into that. Then reality hit. And life moved on.
In a world where so many QBs never even get close to what Wentz did in 2017, his story is one of both promise and caution. A reminder that in the NFL, being very good isn’t enough if you want to be legendary. Being durable, being consistent, being the guy on the late-night drives in January, that’s where the legends live. Wentz almost got there. He had that moment. But he didn’t live there.
And maybe that’s okay. Because sometimes the most human quarterback stories aren’t about records or Hall-of-Fame résumés. They’re about the rise, the fall, the “what if,” and how fans remember it.
This is bigger than football, and no matter what, we’re all on the same team
The amazing residents living here in Los Angeles and the surrounding cities all over Southern California are some of the strongest and most resilient people on Earth. Whether it’s intensely passionate political protests or the second-biggest wildfire catastrophe in California’s history, it’s never a matter of “if” they will recover, but “when” they recover.
Want proof? Look no further than the Donny-Ashley family, a beautiful blended family that sadly lost their home earlier this year during the dreadful Eaton fires that raged in the Altadena area. And like many other unfortunate victims of the terrible fires that ran rampant across Southern California, the Donny-Ashley family was left scrambling about how to proceed after their lives changed forever in the blink of an eye.
“For my husband and I, it felt a lot like losing a loved one. You go through a wave of emotions, like sadness, denial and anxiety,” says Quinn Mitchell-Ashley, a third-generation Altadena/Pasadena native, and loving wife to husband Donny Ashley. Quinn and Donny had just begun to truly settle into their warm Altadena home, along with their wonderful children—Kristina, age 19, Dimitri, age 14, Kenneth, age 11 and Diem, age 1, before disaster struck.
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
Immediately, it was a tough uphill battle for the Donny-Ashley family, with no roof over their heads, and no direction to lean towards; but of course, their first priority was to find proper shelter for the kids. “Thankfully, the perks of being a blended family allowed for our children to have a sense of normalcy with our co-parents,” says Quinn, before continuing on, “There was also the additional struggle of maintaining our clientele and income—as entrepreneurs, losing our home affected our businesses tremendously.”
Eventually, word of the Donny-Ashley family caught wind to Aurianne Tuttle, a hardworking agent for the nonprofit organization, The Change Reaction, that specializes in aiding struggling Angelenos during dire times of need. Aurianne is no stranger to the supportive role, thanks to the massively positive impact made by her own nonprofit operating in the Watts Area, ROC ERA. Once Aurianne connected with the family and heard their story, she felt obliged to do everything in her power to assist them, including partnering with the LA Rams’ charitable initiative, Rams Foundation.
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
“Aware we were one family of hundreds that needed help, we were grateful for even being considered. After four months, we received a request to be interviewed as wildfire survivors, which we now know was only a ploy to surprise us with a new home for a year!” said Quinn.
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Molly Higgins, Executive Vice President (EVP) of Community Impact and Engagement for the LA Rams, was eager to assist after being absolutely blown away by the family’s selflessness upon initially meeting them. “You’ve lost your home, and yet you’re here to learn about ways to help your community. You know, so cool and inspiring,” Molly recalls before continuing, “They were just so grateful to be alive and said that they were just so appreciative of the community and the way that community rallied around them in such a time of loss.”
Through the generous efforts of the Rams Foundation, the Donny-Ashleys, and one other family, were given a rental home chosen through Zillow’s handy rental platform, with one year’s rent completely covered, and the houses fully furnished thanks to a thoughtful $15,000 donation from Bob’s Furniture. Additionally, five LAUSD employees whose homes were affected by the fires would receive rental assistance.
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
“It was a moment that I’ll never forget and probably one of the most, you know, emotional moments and my 24 years with the Rams, and I’ve had a lot of emotional moments along the way, but just to be able to give that family a fresh start and such a beautiful family at that, and just their gratitude and appreciation it was just incredible,” stated Molly.
It’s hard not to root for the Donny-Ashley family. Having overcome so much trial and tribulation, Quinn, Donny, and the children know that second chances rarely come around. But thanks to all the remarkable efforts and contributions of Aurianne Tuttle, the Rams Foundation, and their partners, Zillow and Bob’s Furniture, the Donny-Ashley family hold that second chance in their palms. And while they’re extremely grateful for their new housing, Quinn and the rest of the family know that home isn’t just about the walls around you or the roof over your head—as Quinn says passionately, “Home to us has and always will be family… regardless of relation, status or time!”
The 49ers caught the Rams slipping and took full advantage with Mac Jones at the helm
Credit: Los Angeles Rams
What was supposed to be a very winnable game for the Rams during Thursday’s divisional game against the San Francisco 49ers turned into a nonstop uphill battle thanks to a few mishaps that ultimately sealed LA’s fate.
Right from the opening kick-off of the match, the 49ers showed a higher intensity than the Rams, setting the tone in their favor immediately. Back-up QB Mac Jones stepped in after starting QB Brock Purdy was officially deemed unable to play due to a lingering toe injury. The Rams were unable to find their way into the end zone with a touchdown or a field goal in the first quarter, while the 49ers scored a touchdown thanks to a short pass to TE Jake Tonges and hijacked control of the momentum early on.
Upon the start of the second quarter, the 49ers picked up where they left off, scoring yet another touchdown via a 1-yard pass to RB Christian McCaffrey, jumping the score to 14-0. Things were looking extremely dire for the Rams. Despite a fumble from Stafford, the Rams were eventually able to get things rolling with a touchdown from RB Kyran Williams, who caught a 14-yard short pass to finally put LA on the scoreboard. However, the 49ers inched out an additional field goal, leaving the score at 17-7 at halftime.
The Rams’ woes followed them into the 3rd quarter with kicker Joshua Karty missing a crucial field goal, further cementing the despairing energy found in the first half. The 49ers responded with a made field goal from kicker Eddy Pineiro, upping the score to 20-7. The energy around the Rams began to shift a bit, and the offense started to lock in and pick up the pace. Stafford was able to connect with WR Puka Nacua for a 1-yard short pass leading to another touchdown, climbing the score to 20-14, and giving the Horns a glimmer of hope.
The Rams came out guns blazing in the 4th, with RB Kyren Williams finding the end zone once more for six points thanks to an 8-yard pass from Stafford. However, terror struck again when kicker Joshua Karty missed the extra point, leaving the score tied at 20-20. The Rams’ defense also began playing with a fiercer desire to win, containing the 49ers to only a field goal rather than a TD, putting the score at 23-20.
LA could smell the blood in the water, the opportunity to take the lead was here. Making their way down the field, the Rams arrived at the end zone, practically smelling victory. What should’ve been a routine goal-line penetration for RB Kyren Williams blew up in the Rams’ face due to a timely move by 49ers DT Alfred Collins, who was able to knock the ball out of RB Kyren Williams’ fingertips just inches from the end zone, completely shutting down the Rams’ drive.
You could feel the air being sucked out of SoFi. But thanks to a relentless effort from the defense, the 49ers were unable to put any more points on the scoreboard, while the Rams earned three points thanks to a vital field goal, tying the game at 23-23.
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Overtime was here, and along with it was a chance of possible redemption for the Rams. The 49ers got their hands on the ball initially, and thanks to the stellar Rams defense, had to resort to kicking a field goal for three points, gaining a 23-20 lead.
It was time for Stafford and company to close the game, to march into the end zone for a TD and move to a 4-1 record. But, head coach Sean McVay showed a little too much boldness that ended up costing the game. While in field goal range and having the chance to tie the game again on 4th and 1, McVay’s play calling took a questionable turn, opting to run the ball with RB Kyren Williams for the 1st down instead. It didn’t work, losing the game for the Rams. After the match, head coach McVay took responsibility for the loss and for putting his players in such a difficult position.
Now sitting at a 3-2 record, the Rams have some self-reflection to do. Despite solid individual performances from WR Puka Nacua (85 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on 10 catches), WR Davante Adams (88 receiving yards on 5 catches, RB Kyren Williams (65 rushing yards, 66 receiving yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns), and QB Matthew Stafford (389 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions on 30/47 throws), the team as a whole did not seem like their usual selves. Whether it was due to it being a Thursday night game or the 49ers simply catching them off guard, the Rams will need to be much more careful with protecting the football from fumbles.
Next week, the Rams travel to Baltimore to face a Lamar Jackson-less Ravens, and it should be the perfect opportunity for LA to get its mojo back. We’ll see how the Rams rebound in week 6 and find their way back on track to total dominance.
The Rams will defend home field against a booming Colts team that’s been making waves of their own
The Los Angeles Rams take on the Philadelphia Eagles in week 3 of the 2025 NFL regular season.Credit: Los Angeles Rams
Like the Greek God Icarus, who flew too close to the Sun, the Rams dealt with their first real moment of adversity last week against the Philadelphia Eagles after dropping a sizable lead and ultimately dramatically losing the game. While it was a tough pill to swallow, it goes to show that no victory is ever given, regardless of how much of a hot streak a team is on or how big a lead is.
As we turn to week 4, the Rams will host the Indianapolis Colts, a team that has been on an absolute hot streak since the start of the season, thanks to QB Daniel Jones playing the best football of his career. After several failed seasons with the New York Giants, many people wrote off Jones as the next journeyman quarterback who would only fill the quarterback role for teams in transition to drafting their next QB.
But to everyone’s surprise, Jones is leading a historic offense with the Colts, who’ve scored a franchise record 103 points in their first 3 games, the most since 1967. They are also one of four teams in the Super Bowl era to score at least 100 points with 0 turnovers to start a season. And up to a certain point during their previous game against the Tennessee Titans, they were tied for 5th all-time for continuous offensive drives without a punt.
But Jones is not a one-man army by any means. At his side is the extremely cunning RB Jonathan Taylor, who’s been performing as the top running back in the league so far into the season, averaging just over 5 yards a carry, has scored 3 touchdowns, and leads the league in total rushing yards with 338.
Seasoned WR Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie TE Tyler Warren have also been very impactful in the passing game for Indy, with both players currently at 193 receiving yards each, and Pittman Jr. with 2 touchdowns thus far.
Safe to say, the Rams will need to bring their ‘A’ game.
For the Rams, they have a chance to take advantage of some of the injuries Indy is dealing with on the defensive side. CB Kenny Moore II is currently labeled as doubtful for Sunday’s game due to an achilles concern, which should ease the pressure off of Stafford’s shoulders when airing it out.
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The Los Angeles Rams take on the Philadelphia Eagles in week 3 of the 2025 NFL regular season.Credit: Los Angeles Rams
Another key piece for their defense is defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who is currently questionable to play due to a back injury. While we’d love to see Buckner (and Moore II) in action as true fans of the sport, this is something RB Kyren Williams can definitely target when penetrating their run-defense, especially at the goal line.
Unfortunately, the Rams also have some injuries of their own to deal with, including WR Davante Adams, who is coming off of a fantastic game last week. He is currently questionable to play due to a sore hamstring that prevented him from participating in practice on Wednesday.
Injuries aside, Sunday’s game could be another popcorn-thriller here at SoFi Stadium. Puka Nacua is poised to have another dominant performance against an undermanned secondary unit, and expect TE Tyler Higbee to step up should Adams need to sit out.
Want to catch the action in person? You can purchase tickets to Sunday’s game here.
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Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts begins his sixth professional season carrying a mix of admiration and debate.
He is a Super Bowl champion, a Super Bowl MVP, and the unquestioned leader of one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses.
Yet his place among the league’s elite quarterbacks remains a polarizing subject. Some insist his impact extends far beyond statistics, while others point to modest passing totals compared with his peers.
As the 2025 season approaches, the conversation is no longer about whether Hurts belongs in the upper tier; it is about how his distinctive style compares to the gaudier numbers and accolades of rivals like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Matthew Stafford.
Understanding Hurts requires viewing his production through a different lens, one shaped by team identity and situational dominance.
Hurts’ Style and Statistical Footprint
PHOTO: Casey Murphy/Unsplash
Hurts has yet to record a 4,000-yard passing season, but that limitation is deceptive. His 2022 campaign produced 3,701 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and another 760 yards rushing with 13 scores. Those numbers positioned him as a dual-threat whose efficiency mattered more than sheer volume.
In 2023, he logged 3,858 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, complemented by 15 rushing scores. The kind of production reflects how Philadelphia leans on him near the goal line.
Entering 2025, Hurts has compiled two Pro Bowl selections, a second-team All-Pro, and a championship resume. His success is often measured less by box scores and more by game control, especially late in contests when the Eagles close leads with his legs. For bettors and analysts alike, monitoring Jalen Hurts prop bets provides insight into how sportsbooks weigh his hybrid role.
Mahomes: The Benchmark of Modern Quarterbacking
Any comparison of elite quarterbacks begins with Patrick Mahomes. Since assuming the starting role in 2018, Mahomes has posted seasons of 5,097 and 5,250 passing yards, alongside a staggering 50-touchdown campaign.
His career includes three Super Bowl victories, multiple MVPs, and six Pro Bowl appearances. The Chiefs’ seven-year run of success makes him the undisputed standard, one regularly featured across NFL prop insights.
When measured against Mahomes, Hurts appears conservative in yardage and passing output. Yet Hurts owns a head-to-head playoff win against Kansas City, an achievement few can claim.
The distinction highlights a central tension: Mahomes dazzles with sustained statistical dominance, while Hurts wins through adaptability and balance. Both approaches have achieved victories in the NFL, but one appeals to highlight reels, the other to clock management and situational mastery.
Allen’s Power and Playoff Frustrations
Josh Allen represents another contrasting model. His 2020 and 2021 seasons produced 4,544 and 4,407 passing yards, respectively, along with 36-plus touchdown campaigns. Add in nearly 800 rushing yards in 2021, and Allen epitomizes raw physical capability.
His first MVP in 2024 validated years of near misses, but Buffalo has yet to clear its playoff hurdles. Here, Hurts stands taller: Philadelphia captured a championship during his run, while Buffalo continues searching.
Allen’s highs outpace Hurts statistically, yet his turnovers, 23 in 2019, 27 in 2022, underscore risks tied to his aggressive style. Hurts, by comparison, turns the ball over less often despite heavy rushing usage. The comparison suggests Hurts may not match Allen’s ceiling in raw production, but he offers steadier efficiency in critical moments.
Jackson’s Unique Dominance
Lamar Jackson reshaped Baltimore’s offense when he became the starter, producing an electrifying 1,206 rushing yards in 2019 alongside 36 passing touchdowns. His two MVPs by 2024 signal recognition of this unique style, but postseason frustrations mirror Buffalo’s.
Jackson has four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro nods, yet no Super Bowl appearance. Hurts, by contrast, already owns the ring Jackson chases.
Statistically, Jackson’s rushing totals exceed Hurts with 1,005 yards in 2020 versus Hurts’ 784 in 2021. That said, Hurts’ blend of efficiency and postseason success provides a counterweight. Each has transformed expectations for quarterback mobility, but Hurts’ Super Bowl triumph grants him a credential that changes legacy conversations.
Burrow’s Precision and Resilience
Joe Burrow embodies pocket precision. His 2021 and 2022 seasons included 4,611 and 4,475 passing yards, while his 2024 campaign reached 4,918 yards with 43 touchdowns. Injuries, however, have disrupted his trajectory, limiting his ability to sustain momentum.
Burrow’s Bengals reached a Super Bowl but fell short, leaving his resume defined by potential rather than hardware. Hurts, in contrast, combines slightly lower statistical output with a healthier run of postseason availability.
Where Burrow commands admiration for accuracy and composure, Hurts earns credit for durability and adaptability in varied game scripts. The two often intersect in conversations about leadership: Burrow’s calm precision versus Hurts’ quiet command. Both inspire teammates, but only Hurts has parlayed that influence into a championship so far.
Herbert and Stafford: Statistical Brilliance and Longevity
Justin Herbert burst onto the scene with 4,336 passing yards as a rookie and later eclipsed 5,000 in 2021. Yet his Chargers remain playoff underachievers, undone by collapses such as blowing a 27-point lead.
His statistics, including multiple 30-touchdown campaigns, present an intriguing counter to Hurts’ balanced approach. But Herbert lacks postseason validation, leaving Hurts with a stronger legacy despite smaller yardage totals.
Matthew Stafford, meanwhile, represents longevity. He exceeded 5,000 passing yards in 2011 and captured a Super Bowl with the Rams in 2021, but his career has been uneven, marked by injuries and losing records. Compared to Stafford, Hurts already matches the championship milestone but adds rushing dynamism that Stafford never possessed.
Why Hurts’ Value Defies Conventional Metrics
The debate over Hurts’ ranking often turns to numbers he may never achieve. Philadelphia’s offense prioritizes time of possession, rushing efficiency, and situational execution over gaudy passing stats. That approach ensures Hurts’ success will always appear muted beside Mahomes’ fireworks or Allen’s arm strength.
Yet context matters: Hurts has led his team to 14 wins in 2022 and captured the ultimate prize in 2024. He enters 2025 as the NFL’s 11th-highest-paid quarterback, a paradox given his accomplishments.
The value he brings lies not in eclipsing 5,000 yards but in embodying a system designed to win when it matters most.
For Philadelphia, and perhaps for the league’s evolving understanding of quarterback play, Hurts may represent the future standard: efficiency, leadership, and adaptability over spectacle.
The Rams open the 2025 NFL season at SoFi with new firepower, a healthy Stafford, and a showdown against Houston’s rising stars
Rams QB Stetson Bennett. The Rams narrowly defeated the Chargers on Saturday nightCredit: Courtesy Los Angeles Rams
The 2025-26 NFL season is finally upon us as our Los Angeles Rams face the fully-loaded Houston Texans. Led by electrifying quarterback CJ Stroud and star receiver Nico Collins, the Texans are aiming to bounce back from a disappointing, injury-riddled season. So what does that spell for our Los Angeles Rams?
With the massive off-season acquisition of 6-time Pro Bowler Davante Adams after a failed stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Rams now boast one of the best receiver cores in the entire league as Adams is now paired alongside our absolute stud of a wide receiver, Puka Nacua. Puka, who quickly garnered recognition as one of the elite offensive playmakers since his rookie season in 2023, will hopefully take the next step into becoming a fully-fledged superstar. Surely the dynamic duo of Davante and Puka will make for some wildly entertaining play calling, but the success of the offense truly lies in the hands of seasoned veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Stafford’s offseason has been anything but healthy, thanks to both an aggravated back injury involving a spinal disc and several blood clots that resulted in a month’s worth of absences from training camp. While he is certainly no stranger to injuries in his 16-year career, Stafford feels confident about being available to play in week 1 against the Texans. And should he hopefully stay healthy the entire season, he could achieve his best offense season to date, thanks to the staggering firepower at each side of the receiver position this year.
Coming off a career-high 14-touchdown regular season, running back Kyren Williams will once again spearhead an exceptional ground game for the Rams. Thanks to a fortified offensive line supporting him and a portion of the scoring pressure alleviated due to the team’s upgraded passing options, don’t be surprised if Kyren finishes as a top 5 running back in several offensive categories.
More importantly, it is essential that the Rams fire on all cylinders to make up for a mediocre 2024 season defensively, which resulted in being ranked 21st in total sacks and 26th in total yards per gain. Texans offensive leaders CJ Stroud and Nico Collins will put the pressure on the Rams’ secondary, either turning them to dust or into diamonds. And with their off-season addition of Nick Chubb, who will play the role of their productive workhorse in the absence of injured running back Joe Mixon, there is zero room for any mistakes. History has shown, the Texans’ offense can be difficult to control.
On the other side of things, emerging sophomore cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is set to make a big impact for Houston’s pass defense once again, which may cause a bit of a headache for Stafford and company. A 5-interception rookie season is nothing to laugh at, and will be a prime concern for the Rams’ offensive play calling coming into week 1. At the front lines, defensive end Danielle Hunter will remind everyone why he is one of the highest-paid players at that position next to fellow defensive titans Max Crosby and Miles Garrett. Last year, Hunter produced 12 sacks, which to most players would be considered a breakout season, but for Danielle, it was simply an “off” year, proving that the Rams have their work cut out for themselves.
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)Credit: Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
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There’s a lot riding on Sunday’s game for both teams in terms of establishing dominance early on. As a mostly young core, the Texans will certainly want to silence the doubters who’ve been labeling Stroud’s remarkable rookie season as a fluke, and to show that the team’s offensive line has made great strides of improvement in the offseason after a disastrous showing last year. But for the Rams, it is much, much more. It is not simply about asserting dominance, but it is about returning to form as a Super Bowl contender. When you have stacked talent on both sides of the ball, the potential is great, but the expectations are even greater. Whether this will be evident off-the-bat in game 1 or may surface as the season progresses remains to be seen. But one thing is definite, it will be an absolutely fun shoot-out of a game this Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
The Eagles of the Late 80s and Early 90s Had Done Amazing Things On the Field.
Winning a Playoff Game Hadn’t Been One of Them.
For today’s Eagles faithful, it’s hard to envision a time when the Birds couldn’t maintain a top-10 NFL offense and hadn’t won a playoff game in over a decade. But that will be the long-standing legacy of Buddy Ryan and Rich Kotite in Philadelphia.
Unfortunately, a record-setting defense and quarterback complete with acrobatic excellence does nothing if you don’t win. And if you call your boss “the guy in France,” you’d better win.
Nearly 30 years ago, in Rich Kotite’s second season as Head Coach, the Eagles were in a wildcard game in New Orleans down on the Bayou. In 1988, the Eagles lost the Fog Bowl at Soldier Field in Chicago — a place that an NFL team from Philly hadn’t won since the Frankford Yellow Jackets beat the Bears in the final game of 1931. In 1989, the Eagles lost to Steve Everett and the LA Rams at home, and 1990 Body Bag Game #2 went to Washington.
PHOTO: WikiCommons
With an 11–5 record, the Eagles were in the playoffs once again. The beginning of this one seemed to unfold just as in previous contests. Down 20–7 in the third quarter, Randall Cunningham connected with Fred Barnett on a 35-yard touchdown pass. A six-yard Heath Sherman rushing touchdown gave the Eagles the lead. That proceeded a Reggie White safety in the end zone on Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert.
Finally, an Eric Allen 18-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed the deal.
The win would prove to be Kotite’s only one as Eagles Head Coach. The 1992 team would be Reggie White’s last as Eagles.
The following week, the Eagles would be throttled by the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys, 34–10. But even that couldn’t diminish the comeback at the Superdome.
“I have slowed the game down on offense a little bit,” Rams football coach Jay Norvell explained Monday at Canvas Stadium, “because we were playing some really talented people these first three weeks and I felt like, to give our defense a chance, I needed to slow down the game a little bit and run it a little bit more.”
Air Raid? Smash-mouth? None of the above? Hey, it’s good to be multiple. But over the last 11 months or so, the Rams offense has often looked downright schizophrenic.
Consider: In the first four series of a bonkers 2023 Rocky Mountain Showdown last September, CSU threw it 11 times. In the first four series of a boring first half this past weekend in the ’24 Showdown, a 28-9 CU victory, the Rams aired it out just five times, officially.
At home. Against one of the two schools your alums want desperately to beat most. In front of a rocking, ravenous and rare sellout at Canvas Stadium.
And yeah, we know — personnel played a factor. Last year’s Rams took on CU and the Sanders family with Dallin Holker at tight end, wideout Louis Brown IV and a healthy Tory Horton. CSU this past weekend had no Holker, no Brown and Horton (groin) toughing it out on basically one good leg.
But when you’ve been touting your QB1 as a Power 4-level signal-caller, and then can’t trust him to air it out against a Power 4 defense, red flags start popping up everywhere. Everybody’s credibility suffers.
“(We) need to get our playmakers involved, we need to get it going offensively,” Norvell continued. “And we’ve got talent. We can score. And we need to respond to that.”
“Are you saying you’re going to take a more aggressive approach from here on out with how you attack teams?” the coach was asked.
“No, I’m telling you that I think we had hard matchups, and I don’t think we matched up very well,” Norvell replied. “And I was trying to minimize that — and that’s what head coaches do.”
Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) and CU cornerback DJ McKinney (8) bring down Colorado State Rams running back Justin Marshall (29) in the first quarter at Canvas Stadium in Ft. Collins, Colorado Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Fortunately, there’s all kinds of time left, nine games, with which to hammer out a new narrative. The Mountain West looks top-heavy, and CSU won’t play two of the three programs — UNLV and Boise State, Fresno State being the other — expected to vie for the league crown.
More hope: The Rams have already faced the two most talented two rosters they’ll see all year in No. 1 Texas and CU. Although if the point was to save some arrows in the quiver for league play, after last Saturday, it might be good for Norvell to start firing off a few.
“We’ve got a lot of season left,” the coach said, “and we’ve got all of our goals in front of us that we want to accomplish in our conference and in the remaining nine games.”
All true. But assuming this weekend’s visit from 0-3 UTEP gets the Rams (1-2) back to .500, it’s also not crazy to wonder if a visit to future league rival Oregon State (Oct. 5) and a home test with San Jose State (Oct. 12) leaves CSU at 2-4 heading into a tussle at rebuilding Air Force (1-2). It’s not unreasonable to wonder whether the CSU administration, after that CU stinker, will have everybody’s back if — if — the Rams are somehow 2-5 with three winnable home games (New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah State) left on the docket.
Norvell knows the score. He’s got a president and athletic director who didn’t hire him, and the former isn’t messing around.
“I’ve felt pressure since the day I started being a coach,” Norvell said. “I mean, that’s just part of it.”
He’s also his own offensive coordinator, his own play-caller, so everybody knows where the buck stops. Norvell’s never shied away from blame after tough losses. He’s rarely pointed fingers. But CSU fans I’ve talked to would prefer to lose more news conferences and win more football games, thanks all the same.
“You don’t want to get me on a soapbox about all that,” Norvell said. “We hadn’t talked about (CU) for months, OK? And so all that stuff that was brought up (as trash talk) was a long time ago.
“So I don’t really have any issue with Brayden or any of our guys. Our guys are focused on what can we improve to get better. And that’s about all I’ve got to say about that.”
If the Rams have an offensive identity right now, it’s that their players, including BFN, keep writing checks their program can’t cash. Nobody cheering on the green and gold right now knows what they’re going to get on game day. Besides heartbreak.
Well, if you didn’t get a chance to catch any of the front line team members for the Houston Texans play some brand of physical football this preseason, you’ve probably missed your chance. Buckle up for Week 1 against the Colts, because when you tune into the game on Saturday between the Texans and the Los Angeles Rams at NRG Stadium, it’s gonna be a whole lot of backups trying find their way onto a 53-man roster, either with the Texans or by putting good film for one of the other 31 teams to see.
With that said, I am super intrigued by some of the battles for roster spots as camp and the preseason wind down. Here are four things to watch for on Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium:
4. Ali Gaye The defensive end position group is an interesting one for the Texans. Danielle Hunter has been arguably the team’s best defensive player in camp, while Derek Barnett and Jerry Hughes have been the solid veterans you’d expect them to be. Will Anderson has been banged up, but he’s obviously a foundational player for this team.
Denico Autry’s six-game suspension opens up a spot, and it might go to Gaye, who’s played a TON of snaps in the last two preseason games, 33 against the Steelers and a team high 43 against the Giants. The team obviously sees something in the physical specimen out of LSU. Can he make the team with a big performance on Saturday?
3. Running back room Here we go, it’s Dameon Pierce time! Or is it? The things we know about Pierce this training camp — he has practiced pretty well, he has played in games pretty poorly (or with very little impact), and at least outwardly, DeMeco Ryans doesn’t blame Pierce for his lack of production. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow night. I could see Pierce being rested in this game as if he’s already secured a spot on the team, and I could see him playing an entire half and touching the ball 15 times, because the front office and coaching staff need a better assessment. maybe a final assessment before moving on. That would make me awfully sad, if Saturday were Pierce’s final game as a Texan.
2. Third string quarterback GM Nick Caserio surprised me a little bit, prior to the Texans game against the Giants. In the pregame interview he does with sideline reporter John Harris, Caserio indicated that Davis Mills had locked up the backup QB job, and that Case Keenum and Tim Boyle were duking it out for the third string spot. If that’s the case, then I would suspect the right thing to do would be to play Keenum and Boyle each a half on Saturday, and let the best man win. I’d be very surprised if the dice doesn’t come up Keenum in this battle, especially considering the quasi-coach role that Keenum has played in C.J. Stroud’s development.
1. Wide receiver room I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say that the Houston Texans’ 2024 wide receiver room might be the deepest, most talented position group that I’ve seen in my 18 years covering the Texans. The Texans could keep six receivers on this team, and there are still at least two, maybe three more that will get picked up by other NFL teams, almost certainly,
The things to watch for on Saturday with this group — does John Metchie play in the game, or has he locked up a spot with his stellar last ten days or so? Also, where does Noah Brown fit in? He’s been injured for the last three weeks, but when healthy, he is definitely one of the six best on the team. Finally, how does the team attack the return game? Do they keep Steven Sims in that role, essentially eating up a wide receiver spot with a guy who plays very little wide receiver? This should make for some great theater!
The Los Angeles Rams will move their practice facility to Woodland Hills next season as part of a large-scale real estate development planned by owner Stan Kroenke that could help give the car-centric Warner Center district a more urban feel.
The Rams officially announced the long-expected move Tuesday at an outdoor shopping center that Kroenke bought earlier this year as he assembled a 100-acre parcel for future development that will include a new headquarters for the Rams.
The move will center the Rams, now based in the city of Agoura Hills, in Los Angeles’ Woodland Hills neighborhood. The team plays at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on game days, but spends most of the year at its headquarters and practice facilities.
“It’s important for us to have a foothold in L.A.,” said Kevin Demoff, chief operating officer of the Rams.
A temporary practice facility similar to the one the team now uses at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks will be built on what is now a parking lot next to an unoccupied office tower the Kroenke Group bought in Warner Center in 2022.
Kroenke plans to build a more permanent and expansive training facility and team headquarters on the site in the future, part of what is expected to be a sprawling mixed-use complex that may include stores, restaurants, hotels and residences.
The parking lot at the former Anthem building in Warner Center will be the new location of the Los Angeles Rams practice facility.
(Los Angeles Times)
Work will start shortly on the temporary football compound at Erwin Street and Canoga Avenue, Demoff said. Asphalt and two one-story buildings will be removed to make way for two practice fields and a network of temporary modular trailers that will be similar to the setup the team uses at Cal Lutheran.
The trailers will include office space and meeting rooms for coaches, players, scouts and staff, along with a weight room, a training room, a locker room, a media room and a meal room.
City Councilman Bob Blumenfield called the facility “a great use that brings a lot of value” to the neighborhood and “not much traffic.”
The 13-story tower on the site that was formerly home to health insurer Anthem Inc. may be part of the future mixed-use campus or could be eventually razed to make way for other uses.
Kroenke Group is working on a new land-use design for the site that also includes the former Woodland Hills Promenade, a largely inactive shopping center built in 1973, and the thriving outdoor mall Topanga Village built next to the Promenade in 2015. The move was announced at the Village, which will remain a cornerstone of the Kroenke complex that could take many years to complete.
Los Angeles city officials are encouraging dense mixed-use development in the Warner Center neighborhood that could include new housing, offices, shops, restaurants, hotel rooms and entertainment venues.
The planned building boom may help Warner Center finally achieve its original purpose. In the early 1970s, planners decided that the west San Fernando Valley land, once the site of movie mogul Harry Warner’s horse ranch, should be turned into a “downtown” for the Valley.
As it developed, however, Warner Center bore only passing resemblance to the densely built urban districts people associate with that word.
Today, the neighborhood is mostly a mix of office towers that jut up from a sea of cookie-cutter, low-slung office buildings served by acres of surface parking lots. Apartments and stores are mostly isolated in discrete blocks, and the whole expanse is cleaved by wide, fast-moving streets that flow to freeways.
Kroenke’s $325-million purchase of the Village in January further signaled the billionaire businessman’s intention to build a sports-centric development like the one around SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
In Inglewood, Kroenke controls nearly 300 acres surrounding SoFi Stadium, in what was formerly the Hollywood Park horse racing venue. When the Inglewood complex is completed, it will be 3½ times the size of Disneyland and contain a performance venue, hotel, stores, restaurants, offices, homes and a lake with waterfalls.
With the additional 100 acres in Woodland Hills, Kroenke is now one of the largest real estate developers in the Los Angeles region, Demoff said. His company could build and operate as much as 7 million square feet of property in Woodland Hills as envisioned under the city’s Warner Center 2035 Specific Plan.
“Stan and everybody else is a believer in the potential of Warner Center,” Demoff said. “Everything keeps growing here.”
The Kroenke Group owns and operates shopping centers in 39 states with a combined total of 40 million square feet, the company said.
Raheem Morris, a defensive coordinator for the NFL Los Angeles Rams, has run many clutch plays in his career — but this has to be the best ever. Over the weekend, the football coach helped save a drowning child’s life at a hotel swimming pool.
The incident took place at the Encore Resort in Las Vegas, where Morris was spending time with his family. According to reports, a drowning 3-year-old boy was pulled from the pool by his father and rushed to a lifeguard. The lifeguard began to perform CPR after it was discovered the boy had no pulse.
Thinking fast, Morris sprung to action and ran over to the scene.
“I saw people calling 911 so my first question was, where is the AED?” Morris told ESPN. An AED is an automatic external defibrillator, which is used to deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.
Morris was able to locate a device and raced it over to the struggling boy.
“We had a doctor on site that was able to start the compressions. I was able to hand the AED to him, get it open for him, put the pads on the child, and he ended up being OK,” Morris said.
Morris’s wife Nicole wrote about the harrowing ordeal in an Instagram post, saying that the child was discharged from the hospital 24 hours later.
Morris was quick to give credit to the recent CPR and AED training offered by the Rams. NFL teams have been ramping up efforts like this ever since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlinsuffered a heart attack during an NFL game in January. Thankfully, medical professionals on the scene were able to act quickly and use an AED to restart Hamlin’s heart.
Hamlin himself was on Capitol Hill in March advocating for a new bipartisan legislation called “Access to AEDs Act.” The bill increase the training and availability of AEDs on school campuses.
Morris told ESPN how the Hamlin incident and the recent tragic drowning of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett’s 2-year-old daughter, has helped him be more aware of how important it is to be prepared for moments like these.
“I’m just thankful I knew what to do,” Raheem Morris said. “You just never know when you’re going to need that stuff.”
