(EDITOR’S NOTE: To access the Kevin Demoff interview, click on the following attachment: Ep 73: Rams COO Kevin Demoff Joins The Show | Spreaker)
The team most often mentioned as the threat to Tampa Bay in the NFC is not Green Bay. It’s the Los Angeles Rams.
They’re young. They’re talented. And they’re unbeaten. They have Aaron Donald. They have Jalen Ramsey. They have Matthew Stafford. And they have the Tampa Bay Bucs – the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Bucs – next on their schedule.
The two meet Sunday afternoon in a game advertised as a potential NFC championship preview … everywhere, apparently, but L.A.
“I don’t view this as a conference championship preview,” Rams’ COO Kevin Demoff said on this week’s “Eye Test for Two” podcast. “Our division is tough. We have three (other) undefeated teams here in the NFC West. If it winds up being an NFC conference preview, great. But there’s still so much to play.
“They’re a really good team, well coached and we played (Tampa coach) Bruce Arians a ton in my time here in our division when he was with the Cardinals — and he always gave us fits. It will be a really good test for us. I think it’ll be a good test for them … I’m sure both teams would gladly sign up for this to be a conference championship preview, which means we both got there. I’d just be happy right now if it was a wildcard week.”
That, of course, would mean both teams qualified for the playoffs. But who’s kidding whom? The Bucs return all 22 starters from last year’s Super Bowl champions, including game MVP Tom Brady. The Rams, meanwhile, swapped out quarterback Jared Goff for Stafford, whom the Rams coveted so dearly they dealt Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third to acquire him.
Put them together, and you have two heavyweights seemingly headed for a postseason head-on.
In fact, there’s a feeling that the Rams’ willingness to mortgage the future for Ramsey and Stafford the past two years (they sacrificed six draft picks, including four first-rounders) has them in a Super Bowl-or-bust posture, a notion Demoff didn’t entirely deny.
“I think people have said we’re in a Super Bowl-or-bust mentality since 2018,” he said, referring to the last season the Rams reached a Super Bowl. “Every year I hear when we trade away draft picks, it’s Super Bowl or bust … the window is closing …
-
Ep 113: The Patriots And The AFC East
by Full Press Coverage on March 17, 2023 at 2:14 pm
“I think our viewpoint is we need to push the chips to be competitive every year. I think you can look at Tampa similarly as well. When you have good teams and good players you have to find a way to maximize that window.
“There’s this misconception in the NFL that windows stay open a long time … (but) what the Patriots did has warped people’s perspectives as to what windows look like. Sean Payton and the Saints went to one Super Bowl with Drew Brees. You look at Aaron Rodgers who’s been to one Super Bowl. Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t been in a decade.
“Super Bowl windows are hard, and if you’re not the Buccaneers … you’re not all these teams that are trying to maximize them every year … then I don’t think you’re doing your organization and your fans a service.”
Like everyone else, the Rams look at the Bucs as the hurdle they must overcome to reach Super Bowl LVI. They must have thought it couldn’t happen with Goff, even though he led them to a 27-24 defeat of Brady and the Bucs last November and was 42-20 in four seasons with coach Sean McVay.
Around FPC
NFL: Tom Brady On The Cusp Of 80K Yards And More
NFL: Fantasy Football Rankings Week 3
NFL: Chicago Bears: Roquan Smith on His Way to Having All-Pro Season
NHL: Jack Eichel Fails Physical, Stripped Of Captaincy
Wrestling: AEW Gives Kenny Omega vs Bryan Danielson The Right Outcome
PODCAST: Full Press NFL Podcast Ep 9: Can Tom Brady Play Until 50? Week 2 Picks and Preview
So they did what they felt was necessary to upgrade the quarterback position, though Stafford is a 33-year quarterback with a 76-90-1 career record, three playoff appearances and no playoff wins. A gamble? Maybe. But the Rams strongly believe Stafford can do for them what Brady last year did for Tampa Bay.
“There’s a difference between being aggressive and reckless,” said Demoff, “and I would like to put our team in the aggressive category and not the reckless category (by) trading first-round picks. When you look at a Jalen Ramsey … when you look at a Matthew Stafford and the effect that they’ve had on our team … I think we would say they’ve been well worth it.
“We’re still the youngest team in the NFL. You still have to have a draft-and-develop mentality to go along with the high-priced talent. And I think there’s this balance now of: How do you build the best possible team in 2021 and look with an eye to 2022 and 2023? I think there are lots of ways to reconfigure a team every year to be competitive, and if you’re not doing that, then you’re probably not doing your job correctly.
“If you’re in a rebuild phase, that’s one thing. But if you have an Aaron Donald, a Jalen Ramsey, a Matthew Stafford, a Cooper Kupp, a Robert Woods, you’re not in a rebuild phase. You’re in a phase where you should be competitive every year. And so far, so good with that.”
-
Ep 148: Hall of Fame Voter John McClain Joins The Showby Full Press Coverage on March 15, 2023 at 10:15 pm
Hall of Fame voter John McClain of Gallery Sports returns to the show to […]
-
Ep 147: Discussing Jerry Richardson's Complicated Legacyby Full Press Coverage on March 8, 2023 at 1:39 am
Pat Yasinkas joins Clark and Ira to discuss former Carolina Panthers owner […]
-
The Latest on where the Top QB's In the NFL Draft Might landby LandryFootball.com on March 20, 2023 at 9:00 pm
With some teams taking care of their quarterback issues in Free Agency and […]
-
How the Early Free Agent Signings could affect NFL Draft Strategyby LandryFootball.com on March 20, 2023 at 9:00 am
With the First Wave of Free Agency in the books, we take a look at how […]
-
Ep 277: Free Agency March Madnessby Full Press Coverage on March 17, 2023 at 2:39 am
-
Ep 276: Franchise Tag 2023by Full Press Coverage on March 8, 2023 at 8:28 pm
-
Ep 275: Dynasty Dispersal Draftby Full Press Coverage on March 4, 2023 at 2:06 pm
-
Ep 274: Coaching Changes - Fantasy Football Impactby Full Press Coverage on March 2, 2023 at 8:29 pm
-
Episode 3.5: "Free Agent Frenzy" w/ Pete Hailey from NBC Sports Washington and "Big Doug" McCrayby Full Press Coverage on March 15, 2023 at 8:40 pm
George Carmi hosts NBC Sports Washington's Pete Hailey and Doug McCray on […]
-
Season 3.4: "Winds of Change" with Rick Snider of 106.7 The Fan and "Big Doug" McCrayby Full Press Coverage on March 2, 2023 at 10:33 pm
George Carmi hosts Rick Snider from 106.7 The Fan to discuss the latest […]
-
Full Press Kraken - Monday, March 20thby Full Press Coverage on March 20, 2023 at 6:00 pm
On today’s Full Press Kraken we recap the tough home loss to the […]
-
Full Press Islanders - Monday, March 20thby Full Press Coverage on March 20, 2023 at 3:00 pm
We discuss Saturdays win against San Jose and how some of the spotlighted […]
-
3/20 - Aaron Rodgers, Brandin Cooks, Boston Bruinsby Full Press Coverage on March 20, 2023 at 2:25 pm
Ian and John discuss the latest with Aaron Rodgers, the Brandin Cooks […]
-
3/17 - Aaron Rodgers, New England Patriots, AFC Eastby Full Press Coverage on March 17, 2023 at 2:16 pm
Ian and John discuss Aaron Rodgers, the New England Patriots, and the […]
-
3/16 - More Aaron Rodgers News, Wide Receivers Start Movingby Full Press Coverage on March 17, 2023 at 11:25 am
Ian and John discuss the latest on Aaron Rodgers and look at the latest […]
-
3/14 - Legal Tampering Day One, Best/Worst Signings, What's Next?by Full Press Coverage on March 14, 2023 at 1:59 pm
Ian and John discuss the latest on Aaron Rodgers and recap the first day […]
-
Ep 2: Top 5 Super Bowls Of All Timeby Full Press Coverage on February 7, 2023 at 3:26 pm
Ian Glendon and John Sapochetti give their Top 5 Super Bowls of all time. […]
-
Ep 1: The Top 10 Quarterbacks Of All Timeby Full Press Coverage on January 12, 2023 at 8:42 pm
On the first episode of 'According To Who?', host Ian Glendon and John […]
-
Ep. 151: UTPB Head Baseball Coach Gabe Grinderby Full Press Coverage on March 21, 2023 at 5:00 am
-
Full Press MMA - Monday, March 20thby Full Press Coverage on March 20, 2023 at 11:00 pm
-
Kings at Jazzby Broken Controller Media on March 20, 2023 at 8:00 pm
-
Mavericks at Grizzliesby Broken Controller Media on March 20, 2023 at 7:00 pm
-
Warriors at Rocketsby Broken Controller Media on March 20, 2023 at 6:00 pm
-
Timberwolves at Knicksby Broken Controller Media on March 20, 2023 at 5:00 pm
-
Bulls at 76ersby Broken Controller Media on March 20, 2023 at 4:00 pm
-
Pacers at Hornetsby Broken Controller Media on March 20, 2023 at 3:00 pm
-
3/20 - Aaron Rodgers, Brandin Cooks, Boston Bruinsby Full Press Coverage on March 20, 2023 at 2:25 pm
-
Ep. 150: Regis University Head Baseball Coach Drew LaCombby Full Press Coverage on March 20, 2023 at 5:00 am
-
1/6 - Damar Hamlin Update, Bills/Bengals, AFC Playoffs, Week 18 Picksby Full Press Coverage on January 6, 2023 at 3:11 pm
-
Winter Classic: Bruins Rally To Beat Penguins At Fenwayby Full Press Coverage on January 4, 2023 at 2:09 am
-
1/3 - Bills/Bengals Postponed; Bruins Topple Penguins In Winter Classicby Full Press Coverage on January 4, 2023 at 2:05 am
-
1/2 - Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Week 17, Bills/Bengalsby Full Press Coverage on January 3, 2023 at 3:22 am
-
12/30 - New Year's Eve, Luka Doncic, NBA Talk, Week 17 Preview and Picksby Full Press Coverage on January 1, 2023 at 2:29 am
-
Aaron Rodgers, Packers Win Third Straight; Playoffs In Sightby Full Press Coverage on December 27, 2022 at 7:36 pm
-
Talkamania Episode 230by Talkamania on September 6, 2022 at 11:43 pm
-
Talkamania Episode 229by Talkamania on August 5, 2022 at 3:37 am
-
Boot 2 The Face Revolution Reviewby Boot 2 The Face on March 10, 2023 at 12:42 am
AEW Revolution Review, Power Rankings, B2TF of the Week, and […]
-
Boot 2 The Face Episode 215by Boot 2 The Face on March 2, 2023 at 12:50 am
We are back talking Kenny Omega's importance to AEW. Also, we break down […]