Chiefs might recognize the Rams’ plays
Los Angeles Rams Coach Sean McVay is always looking for a new wrinkle to add to the team’s offense.
This season, the Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) have provided plenty of content. So much, in fact, that the Chiefs might recognize a few plays Monday night when they play the Rams (9-1).
“I’d be lying if I said we haven’t stolen some of their stuff this year,” McVay said Thursday. “They do a great job.”
Asked whether he planned to use any of the Chiefs’ plays against them, McVay said: “You’ll have to wait and see.”
McVay and his coaching staff regularly review film from across the league, but the Chiefs — who average 35.3 points per game — are a must-watch team.
“There’s so much tape and with the ability to easily access it week in and week out, it would be silly for us not to be able to look and see what the heck they’re doing,” McVay said. “Every single week they do something and you say, ‘That’s pretty good.’ ”
Patrick Mahomes has passed for a league-high 31 touchdowns with 7 interceptions, Kareem Hunt ranks third in the league with 13 touchdowns, and Tyreek Hill is averaging 89 receiving yards per game. The Chiefs average 423 yards per game.
The Rams’ offense is pretty good, too. They’re averaging 448 yards per game — second in the NFL behind Tampa Bay — and Jared Goff has passed for 22 touchdowns with 6 interceptions.
Todd Gurley is at the forefront of the MVP conversation, leading the league in rushing yards (98.8 per game) and touchdowns (17).
The Rams average 33.5 points per game.
Footwear flap over
Peace in baseball is at hand via the feet.
Major League Baseball and the players association ended one ongoing discussion Thursday, agreeing to loosen restrictions on the colors of spikes that may be used.
Ben Zobrist, Kyle Schwarber and Steve Cishek of the Chicago Cubs wore black spikes in May despite a warning from the commissioner’s office that they were violating a regulation requiring that at least 51 percent of the exterior of a player’s shoes be the club’s designated primary shoe color. For the Cubs, that color is blue.
The majority requirement was eliminated under the new agreement. Players may now wear shoes with black, white or any colors on the team’s uniform or additional colors approved by the team.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “We believe that this agreement strikes the appropriate balance between the shared goal of permitting players to express their individuality while maintaining reasonable restrictions on shoe colors and designs.”
The new rules take effect for the 2019 season.
“Players welcome the expanded opportunity to express themselves and engage with fans through innovative design,” union head Tony Clark said.
Buddy who?
Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim’s son, had his last name misspelled on his jersey in No. 15 Syracuse’s 83-76 loss to Connecticut on Thursday night in a 2K Classic game at Madison Square Garden.
The 6-5 freshman’s name was spelled Boheim.
The younger Boeheim had one point and an assist in the loss.