Why isn’t anyone taking the under on the Los Angeles Rams in 2018

There’s something strange going on with respect to how people view the 2018 Los Angeles Rams and I’m not just talking about the fact that for the first time in a long Samson Ebukam Jersey , long, long time, people actually expect us to win.It’s how much they expect us to win. And how nearly unanimous that expectation is.In our final staff predictions for the 2018 season, every single one of us had the Rams winning games in the double digits. Even more, an overwhelming majority (biased though we are) had us winning at least 13 games. In nearly every season preview that included a win-loss projection, the Rams were coming up with 10 or 11 or 12 or 13 wins.So it’s not limited just to inside our bubble. Everyone is looking at 10+ wins.Which is very, very, very strange since the over/under that was coming out of Vegas and online bookmakers was right around 9.5 or 10 wins. Which means that there’s money backing up the under.There just aren’t any voices saying so.This was Rich Hammond just yesterday:Why did Hammond take any heat for an 11-win season? The obvious answer is that Rams fans are overwhelmingly excited by the prospects of the 2018 season. But it’s also clear that they’re being incited by a national referendum on the Rams that has avoided even the possibility of ending up with single-digit wins.Consider this piece from Sports Illustrated’s Max Meyer, the only piece I’ve seen from the offseason that seriously considered taking the under (which is exactly what he does at 9.5 wins).On the coaching changes that saw former Rams Offensive Coordinator Matt LaFleur take the same job title, albeit with broader responsibilities, with the Tennessee Titans while the Rams’ 2017 quarterbacks coach, Greg Olson, took a promotion to become the OC with the Oakland Raiders:On the offensive line and field position:And the competitive balance of the NFC:Now look, I’m not about to change my 12-4 prediction or anything like that. Obviously Authentic Austin Blythe Jersey , this isn’t a season to be necessarily hesitant to support. The starting roster is stacked. Last season was a blessing.But I find it unusually strange not that fans and media are excited about the Rams’ 2018 season, but the near unanimity supporting the Rams this year.NFL seasons are, as last year proved yet again as they tend to every year, weird. They’re unpredictable. There are Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars teams that take a jump forward. There are Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans teams that looked set up for success that were felled by injury. And there were Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants and Oakland Raiders teams that just fell below the bar for various reasons.Which is why I find it so odd that nearly everyone...nearly EVERYONE is backing the Rams to manage the process, to navigate the weirdness successfully.It’s heartening, sure. But it’s also piling on to those lofty expectations that have been building since February.Buckle the hell up, Rams fans... When it comes to quarterbacks creating something out of nothing, Aaron Rodgers of Green Bay and Russell Wilson of Seattle are the gold standard.Fortunately for safety John Johnson III and the rest of the Los Angeles Rams' defense, they already got a look at Wilson's Houdini act and can use that experience to prepare for what Rodgers and the Packers might do on Sunday."We get good practice at just staying on our man, keeping our eyes on our luggage," Johnson said Thursday.Wilson was 13 of 21 passing for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the Rams' 33-31 Week 5 win in Seattle, but the Rams were able to limit the number of off-schedule plays he was able to make."It's the NFL, you're going to give up a few plays, but as a whole I think we did pretty well in just keeping our eyes on our guys and maintaining that focus through the play Youth Jared Goff Jersey ," Johnson said.Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is just as concerned about Rodgers' knack for improvisation, calling the two-time MVP one of the best ever in that aspect of the game."He's thrown every scramble pass you can think of for big plays," Phillips said. "If you're in zone or man, you have to get close to the guy you have (in coverage) and stay with him the whole time. That's where they excel."While Wilson will try to bounce outside and away from pressure, Rodgers is more likely to hang in the pocket to give his receivers a chance to come open.Ndamukong Suh, who faced Rodgers regularly during his five seasons with the Detroit Lions, believes Rodgers' ability to survey all areas of the field when a play breaks down makes him more dangerous than Wilson in scramble mode."He's very active as a quarterback, especially pushing the ball down the field," Suh said. "I think they're both elite quarterbacks, but I have a little bit more respect for Aaron."Relishing the chance to chase down Rodgers again, the veteran defensive lineman ruefully laughed when reminiscing about the NFC North rivalry.Suh said Rodgers usually does not talk to him on the field because "I don't know if he likes me." That's fine by Suh."My response is when he's getting up from the ground," Suh said. "That's what I'm excited for, or giving him a nice L, which I have done plenty of times in the past. That's the ultimate goal going against an elite quarterback like that."Suh rarely had to face Rodgers when complimented by a rushing offense as varied and successful as what Green Bay has this season in running backs Aaron Jones http://www.ramsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-aaron-donald-jersey , Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery. The trio is combining to average 4.4 yards per carry, and the Packers' overall average of 4.7 yards per attempt ranks ninth in the NFL.The Rams want to make the Packers one-dimensional, force Rodgers into throwing situations and unleash the pass rush anchored by Suh, Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers. If Rodgers is able to evade pressure and do "what he does best," as Johnson said, the Rams will risk it."He'll just hang in the pocket a long, long time sometimes for people to come open," Phillips said. "It's a tremendous challenge."NOTES: OLB Trevon Young (knee) did not practice Thursday. Young, a rookie from Louisville drafted in the sixth round, recovered a fumble against the 49ers on Sunday and has seen an increase in snaps since Dominique Easley was placed on injured reserve Oct. 2 because of a knee injury. ... LT Andrew Whitworth and C John Sullivan each had the day off for rest.