{"id":54733,"date":"2016-08-29T11:06:21","date_gmt":"2016-08-29T18:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=54733"},"modified":"2016-08-29T11:06:21","modified_gmt":"2016-08-29T18:06:21","slug":"rams-training-camp-notes-08282016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=54733","title":{"rendered":"Rams Training Camp Notes: 08\/28\/2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rams\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher \u2013 Press Conference \u2013 August 28, 2016<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

(Opening remarks)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a short night, and an early morning. We\u2019re not the only organization that has gone through it. That\u2019s typically the case in the third preseason week. Now we have another challenge ahead of us, in that we\u2019re traveling here in just a couple days. I had an opportunity to look at the tape, all three phases as I said, last night. I thought there would be some things to learn from; and they were. Also, some things to build on; and they were. I was pleased with a number of things. I thought the quarterbacks took a step forward. I thought (QB) Jared (Goff), even though the number weren\u2019t great, I thought he did a really good job on the line of scrimmage. His poise, his confidence, took a big hit, came back, I thought he\u2019s progressed since week 1 and week 2. So, that\u2019s a good thing to see. I thought (QB) Case (Keenum), you know, Case is Case. He got lucky on the sideline. I was nervous there for a second, but he bounced up and finished the drive. And then (QB) Sean (Mannion), Sean had some difficulty at the end. We were a little outmatched with the pass rush and we couldn\u2019t get the ball down the field when we needed to. But he knew what he was doing. So, I thought the quarterback play has improved over the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDefensively, better, better effort early in the game. Getting (DE) Rob (Quinn) back was good. I thought (LB Alec Ogletree) \u2018Tree\u2019 looked a little more comfortable in the run-front.\u00a0 We\u2019re still giving up too many yards. We gave up some big runs with guys that are going to be on our roster in the second quarter, and we\u2019ve got to get those things fixed before Week 1, or else we\u2019ll have some problems in the regular season. And then special teams, some younger guys really took a step. We tried to get both our rookie tight ends involved in special teams. It was their first exposure, and they look like they can be productive at it. So, they got another week to get fine-tuned before we start the regular season.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cInjury wise, I felt good last night leaving, but there\u2019s always going to be those things that come up. And we had a couple things come up here this morning. We\u2019re going to be without (WR) Pharoh Cooper for a few weeks with a shoulder injury. I don\u2019t know how long, but it looks like he\u2019ll probably miss the opener, and we\u2019ll just see how quickly he can come back from that. We also have an issue with (DB) E.J.\u2019s (Gaines) quad strain. He may miss some time. But, that just gives some other players an opportunity. But beyond that, it looked like, as far as the rest of the roster, we\u2019ll be ok. We got some guys back. As we said, Rob, and (LB Nicholas) Grigsby, and (T Isaiah) Battle got to play. Overall, I thought it was a productive night. We got a short week \u2013 very, very short. We had our film study with the players today. I got them on the field. I had to remind them to slow down a little bit, because they were playing in a game less than 24 hours ago. We got today beyond us. We\u2019re going to have two open practices to (media) tomorrow (August 29) and Tuesday (August 30), and then we\u2019ll be traveling Wednesday (August 31).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe also got started on the roster reduction, which is not easy. It\u2019s a difficult part of the National Football League and part of training camp. We\u2019re not finished. We still have some more work to do tonight and tomorrow to have the entire list available for you tomorrow. I\u2019m not going to disclose the moves that we make today, for obvious reasons. When it\u2019s all said and done, these young players come in and give everything that they have. They should be able to walk away holding their chin up, feeling like they became better players. As I expressed to a number of them today, an appreciation for their work and their effort, they helped this football team get better, because they\u2019re practicing against our starters, and doing all those things throughout the offseason and through camp. We\u2019ll finish up tomorrow and, of course, we start the process all over again Friday (September 2) and Saturday (September 3).\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

(On which play Cooper was injured on)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it was on the acrobatic catch. He came down on his shoulder.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On how Cooper\u2019s injury situation impacts other receivers trying to make the team)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to take all those things into consideration. He\u2019s had a great camp, we drafted him for a reason. We\u2019ll have to make some decisions next weekend that kind of revolve around his status, if you will.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On if any of Gaines\u2019 injuries are related)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHe had the little hamstring strain \u2013 I mentioned to you that he was so focused, for a year, on getting the foot back. Oftentimes, when players are gone and not available for that length of time and they do return, that there are other little issues that come up. I\u2019m hoping this is the last thing that comes up because he was extremely durable his rookie year as a starter for us, he was there week after week after week.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On the dropped passes in the game yesterday, if it was on the receivers or if the defense played well)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf the ball hits the receivers in the hands and then it hits the ground, it\u2019s a drop. If the defensive back knocks the ball down, it\u2019s a good play by the defense. As I said, (Broncos defensive coordinator) Wade\u2019s (Phillips) got those guys challenging, they were challenging our receivers and challenging our routes and challenging the man-to-man coverages, which was good to see. We have things in our back pocket that will get them open; we\u2019re just not using those things right now in the preseason. Still, when the ball is catchable, make the catch \u2013 that\u2019s kind of our philosophy, offensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On how much RB Todd Gurley pushed to play in the game)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t say anything to me. We discussed it as a staff and I told (running backs coach) Skip (Peete) that we\u2019re going to hold Todd out and he said \u2018yes sir, no problem,\u2019 and I think Todd was fine with it. He had a great, great workout, prior to the game he went through the warm-ups, got the energy and felt the emotion, he was right there at the end of the game rooting on his teammates. I know you have a follow-up question and that would be \u2018Is he going to play this week?\u2019 I can\u2019t tell you right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On if being off for more than three weeks from seeing game speed will impact Gurley going into the regular season opener and if that is much of a concern)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, he had close to eight or nine months before he saw game speed, so three weeks is nothing. If you take into consideration that he\u2019s on the practice field every day practicing and going full speed, so I\u2019m concerned about it. He\u2019s not the only really good and talented player in the league that\u2019s not going to play much in the preseason, that\u2019s just kind of where our league\u2019s going right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On his reaction to 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick not standing for the national anthem)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to let his words speak for himself, it was his choice. And I\u2019m going to let the 49ers\u2019 comments and their release speak for themselves. That\u2019s a 49ers issue \u2013 I know it\u2019s a societal issue, but I don\u2019t feel like it\u2019s my place to comment. I think our respect for the national anthem has been very, very well-documented and we\u2019re going to continue to have respect for the national anthem.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On how he would react if he had a player who did not want to stand for the national anthem)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, they have every right to stand up and be heard. I would be very, very surprised if I had one of our players do that, particularly because of the respect that we have shown, not only this year, but since our time in St. Louis and my time going way back for the national anthem. I also would think that if a player had an issue \u2013 a player on our team \u2013 that he probably would come to me to discuss it before he reacted in such a fashion. I\u2019m not being critical of \u2018Kap,\u2019 he has every right to do that, but we have an organizational philosophy that has been in place for a long time, with respect to the anthem. I think it\u2019s a special event and it\u2019s something that should be respected and that\u2019s my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On how he thinks the team handled the player demonstration in regards to Ferguson, Mo., a few years ago)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we did an outstanding job. When it was all said and done, over a couple days, once I got a chance to talk to the players, I think the players were misunderstood. What the players wanted was they wanted to direct attention to the community of Ferguson because they felt the community needed help and they were helping them. They didn\u2019t want it to be misunderstood, as far as that\u2019s concerned. But I had individual discussions with all the players that next morning and for a day or two before we came back to work. Obviously, you have compassion for the things that are happening in society and players have the opportunity because they have a platform. There\u2019s a place for it and there\u2019s not a place for it. We\u2019ve got a really good understanding of what happened, but what was done – I thought it was a huge misunderstanding from the standpoint. To a man, if you asked each one of them if they\u2019d do it all over again, they probably would. I thought, from an organization standpoint, we dealt with it appropriately and with compassion and concern for what was taking place in Ferguson.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On what WR Tavon Austin brings to the organization that made the team want to give him a contract extension)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our anticipation of what he\u2019s going to do. We\u2019ve seen what he\u2019s capable of and we\u2019re hoping we\u2019re going to get a lot more than what we\u2019ve seen in the past. I know people are putting out numbers and things like that, but they forget three or four punt returns that were returned for touchdowns that were called back. He\u2019s very, very talented with the ball in his hands. He is a problem to defends against and we hear that week after week after week. I was speaking with Wade (Phillips) before the game and (he was saying) \u2018this guy is really good.\u2019 It was obvious, the way they defended us, they knew we weren\u2019t going to give him the ball, so they just kind of disregarded where he was, but things change here in a couple weeks. I\u2019m just really happy for Tavon. He\u2019s a great team guy, full of energy and he\u2019s got a God-given talent that\u2019s going to carry us a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On injury updates on T Rob Havenstein and WR Nelson Spruce)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGood news with Havenstein \u2013 a solid pregame warm-up, we\u2019re going to get him on the practice field, he needs to do some football things this week. That\u2019s why we took him off PUP, so he could participate with his teammates. So we\u2019ll see how he is by the end of the week. Probably unlikely that he plays this week, but we\u2019re going to get him some practice reps under his belt. (Spruce) is running a little bit now, so he\u2019s coming. I wouldn\u2019t think he\u2019s going to play this week, but he may be close, which is encouraging.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On if he feels like he\u2019s seen enough from Spruce to know whether or not he can make the team and how difficult of a decision it is for a guy like Spruce, who is talented, but hasn\u2019t played in a while)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of things to consider. We coveted Nelson after the draft and we saw some things that we really liked and you saw them in the game. Unfortunately, he\u2019s missed time, so we\u2019re just going to have to address that this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On how he felt like WR Brian Quick responded this week after dropping passes in the second preseason game)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he was better. He got open. He was a little bit more explosive in his routes when he got the opportunities. I thought he improved. We never had any issues with his blocking, but I thought he played better yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On how CB Troy Hill is doing)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTroy is doing fine. We had two players that went into the concussion protocol last night. Troy is one and (T) Greg Robinson was the other. Both of them are way ahead of schedule and didn\u2019t have any residual effects. The question is, with the short week and a Thursday game versus a Sunday game, it probably makes sense to err on the side of caution in the event they\u2019re both cleared and ready to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On if having a short week is a good thing or bad thing in the preseason for the team)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s going on a short week, but in a perfect world it would be to have a short week at home, but that\u2019s not the case. We have to travel, we have to come back and as we mentioned, we\u2019ll start the final cut down process. But the entire organization is getting ready to move to Thousand Oaks \u2013 we\u2019ve already started that. So we have to set up permanently \u2013 temporarily permanently \u2013 up in Thousand Oaks for a couple of years. So we have a lot of work to do this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On the reports that QB Jared Goff had X-rays for a tailbone injury)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to confirm or deny either way. Jared participated out here today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(On if he has an update on WR Bradley Marquez)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHe participated outside today.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Los Angeles Rams Media Release 08\/28\/2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher \u2013 Press Conference \u2013 August 28, 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stories-news-notes-around-professional-football"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=54733"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54734,"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54733\/revisions\/54734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=54733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=54733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=54733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}