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atriots’ final drive in regulation, negating an
| Well Rob Havenstein Jersey , I blame myself. I’ve been behind on the developing storylines for the 2019 NFL Draft and mock drafts here at TST thanks to a cluttered personal schedule and the success of the Los Angeles Rams on the field in 2018.No more excuses.We’ve got a great starting point this week from ESPN’s Todd McShay who offered up his first mock of the season (ESPN+ subscription required) that sets a baseline for the early conventional wisdom starting with the developing strength of the early first round: the defensive line class.The first five players from his mock draft are all defensive linemen including his #1 overall pick, Ohio State Buckeyes EDGE Joey Bosa. It’s not until you get to the 6th overall pick that you get the first non-DL, Alabama Crimson Tide OT Jonah Williams, who heads to the Buffalo Bills.I’m not sure how realistic that is knowing the pull that quarterbacks have had on teams to move up the last several years including, obviously, the Rams moving up to the #1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft to take QB Jared Goff. McShay doesn’t have a QB taken until Oregon Ducks QB Justin Herbert goes to the Jacksonville Jaguars at #7. Ohio St. QB Dwayne Haskins comes off three picks later to the New York Giants.I was a bit surprised to see Houston Cougars DT Ed Oliver drop all the way to the Cleveland Browns at #12.As for some prospects that could intrigue the Rams, McShay has a pair of edge rushers going early that would qualify. Kentucky Wildcats OLB Josh Allen heads to the Detroit Lions at #9 while Mississippi St. Bulldogs EDGE Montez Sweat heads off at #15 to the Green Bay Packers. I’d keep an eye on the stock for those two to see if we can envision them dropping to the Rams with any sincerity.Of course once you get to the back half of the first round of a mock draft, any of these guys could drop deep into the playoff spots of the first or beyond. Michigan Wolverines LB Devin Bush hits at #21 to the Baltimore Ravens while Alabama S Deionte Thompson heads to the Oakland Raiders at #25 via the trade with the Dallas Cowboys for WR Amari Cooper.One random pick that piqued my interest? Wisconsin Badgers OL Michael Deiter going to the Houston Texans at #27. With the Rams quickly approaching a point where they will be without LT Andrew Whitworth, LG Rodger Saffold III and C John Sullivan, further additions to the line are going to be required.Ultimately though, McShay has the Rams bolstering their secondary with the #30 pick:#30.) Mississippi St. Bulldogs S Johnathan AbramIt’s early, so it’s hard to find much to quibble with here.The path to the draft is on! KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The last thing the NFL would ever want is for an officiating mistake to decide the Super Bowl.On Sunday, the league might have made enough errors to determine both teams that will play in the championship game in two weeks.The most egregious gaffe came in the NFC title game in New Orleans. The Saints were in position to put away the Rams when Tommylee Lewis blatantly was interfered with inside the Los Angeles 5-yard line by cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman. Not only did Robey-Coleman hit Lewis early, he did so helmet to helmet. Next weekend, we’ll hear about Robey-Coleman being fined for the collision — even though, incredibly Authentic David Edwards Jersey , no flag was thrown.“Came to the sideline, looked at the football gods and was like, ‘Thank you,'” Robey-Coleman said. “I got away with one tonight.”Such a big one that it kept the Rams alive. Instead of a first down and the chance to run down the clock before making a field goal, or score a touchdown for a bigger lead, the Saints wound up with Wil Lutz‘s 31-yard kick. That made it 23-20 with 1:41 left in regulation, plenty of time for the Rams to march to Greg Zuerlein‘s tying 48-yard field goal.“Greg The Leg” won it with a 57-yarder in OT. His heroics almost certainly never would have happened had the call on Robey-Coleman been made. And the fact the defender led with his head into Lewis’ helmet at a time when the NFL is adamant that it’s doing everything to get such hits out of the sport should be even more maddening.“They felt like the players — the player — arrived at the same time that the ball did,” Saints coach Sean Payton said, trying to be diplomatic when he had every right to rant and rave. “They didn’t feel like it was an interference call.“Look, it’s a tough way to lose a game, especially when you’re in a position like that to win it. It’s all the more reason why we need more replay. We lose a chance to go to the Super Bowl with a call like that, it’s just disappointing. But, credit the Rams. They did a good job, made the plays in the end when they needed to.”Plays that wouldn’t have existed if Bill Vinovich’s crew got it right.An argument often is made, and rightly so, that plays seen in slow motion become clearly illegal, but at full speed in an increasingly fast and physical game David Edwards Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , they look OK. That contention has no place here; even at warp speed, Robey-Coleman’s hit was obviously a penalty.NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron “couldn’t believe” no penalty call was called on the play, Payton said.“It’s tough to get over it,” Payton said. “My problem with it is, I just don’t know, if we were playing pickup football in the backyard … it was as obvious a call — and how two guys can look at that and arrive at their decision? It happened, though.”A few things happened in Kansas City, too, where the Patriots won 37-31, also in overtime. These had more to do with replay, with two critical calls going New England’s way in the fourth quarter.The first, which required a lengthy video review, involved Julian Edelman muffing a punt. The original call was that the bouncing ball touched him. Replays, even in stop motion, seemed inconclusive, which means the call should stand.But Riveron and his staff in New York saw enough evidence that Edelman never made contact with the football. Even Kansas City’s laid-back coach, Andy Reid Los Angeles Rams Jerseys Stitched , became highly demonstrative with the overturned decision. Who could blame him considering how many dozens of such calls stick with what on-field officials determined?The Chiefs, perhaps in a dose of poetic justice, soon after intercepted a pass that went off Edelman’s hands.But later in the quarter, Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones was called for a highly questionable roughing-the-passer penalty. Then Patriots wideout Chris Hogan attempted a one-handed catch on third down. Reid challenged, and replay indicated far more evidence the ground helped Hogan make the catch than the previous review showed Edelman whiffed on the ball.No matter. The catch was upheld, and six plays later, Sony Michel scored a touchdown.Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford also went offside on the Patriots’ final drive in regulation, negating an interception by Charvarius Ward that could have clinched a win. But there was little controversy there.The league has been under heavy scrutiny and drawn massive criticism about its officiating in the last few years. The perception is that the NFL needs full-time officials, which might help somewhat, and in part is being done.However, the deeper issues are too many rules and tangents to those rules; points of emphasis that get hammered in, then seemingly are discarded; and officials who struggle to keep up with the speed of the sport. The league prizes experience, but when one of its most experienced crews blows a call so blatant that even the perpetrator acknowledges he caught a break, the storm of protest will rage.Rightly so.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta |
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