NFL (2024 Season)

[JayhawkCO]

LA will have the further distinction of being the designated visiting team in a Super Bowl played in their home stadium (this because the designations alternate between conferences each year and this year it's the AFC's turn to be the designated "home" team). I wonder whether the league will force them to use the visiting locker room. I believe typically when a team has played a "road game" at home (most commonly in baseball, both during the pandemic and when games have been moved due to ballpark problems or completion of suspended games) they don't use the other locker room for convenience reasons, but those situations are a bit different from a Super Bowl or all-star game or similar.

Makes me wonder what happens when the Rams play the Chargers and the Chargers are the home team? I would guess both teams share the home locker room. Given the Rams/Chargers playing at the stadium I guess it is technically possible for the Rams to be the visiting team whenever the two teams play and the Chargers are the home team.

Same thing happens with Giants/Jets.

[1995hoo]

LA will have the further distinction of being the designated visiting team in a Super Bowl played in their home stadium (this because the designations alternate between conferences each year and this year it's the AFC's turn to be the designated "home" team). I wonder whether the league will force them to use the visiting locker room. I believe typically when a team has played a "road game" at home (most commonly in baseball, both during the pandemic and when games have been moved due to ballpark problems or completion of suspended games) they don't use the other locker room for convenience reasons, but those situations are a bit different from a Super Bowl or all-star game or similar.

Makes me wonder what happens when the Rams play the Chargers and the Chargers are the home team? I would guess both teams share the home locker room. Given the Rams/Chargers playing at the stadium I guess it is technically possible for the Rams to be the visiting team whenever the two teams play and the Chargers are the home team.

I just searched for this and found that SoFi has two separate home team locker rooms (at opposite ends of the stadium) for the two tenants, and then apparently there are two separate NFL-standard locker rooms for visiting teams that can be subdivided into smaller rooms if needed for an event like an NCAA Final Four. I assume the Meadowlands likewise has separate locker rooms, given that it was built for two tenants from the beginning, but I haven't looked that up to confirm.

Given that, it would seem to make sense that Cincinnati would just use the other "home" locker room for the Super Bowl, but who knows.

[Buck87]

Here are 3 historical facts I find interesting about this Super Bowl matchup:

1. Both Super Bowl teams originated in Ohio. The Rams were founded in Cleveland in 1936 and played there though the 1945 season.

2. This will be the the 4th time that the Rams have played a championship game against a team from Ohio and also the 4th time that they have played a championship game in their home stadium:

1949 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Eagles 14 Rams 0
1950 NFL Championship at Cleveland Municipal Stadium: Browns 30 Rams 28
1951 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Rams 24 Browns 17
1955 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Browns 38 Rams 14

3. The Rams used to share a unique distinction with the Braves in that they were each franchises that had won 3 total championships with each one being in a different city:
Braves: 1914 Boston, 1957 Milwaukee, 1995 Altana
Rams: 1945 Cleveland, 1951 Los Angeles, 1999 St. Louis

But the Braves just ended that with their 2nd championship in Atlanta, so I guess it's only fitting that the Rams are now poised to get the 2nd championship in Los Angeles. Both franchises will still be the only ones to have won championships in 3 different cities.

[NWI_Irish96]

Here are 3 historical facts I find interesting about this Super Bowl matchup:

1. Both Super Bowl teams originated in Ohio. The Rams were founded in Cleveland in 1936 and played there though the 1945 season.

2. This will be the the 4th time that the Rams have played a championship game against a team from Ohio and also the 4th time that they have played a championship game in their home stadium:

1949 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Eagles 14 Rams 0
1950 NFL Championship at Cleveland Municipal Stadium: Browns 30 Rams 28
1951 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Rams 24 Browns 17
1955 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Browns 38 Rams 14

3. The Rams used to share a unique distinction with the Braves in that they were each franchises that had won 3 total championships with each one being in a different city:
Braves: 1914 Boston, 1957 Milwaukee, 1995 Altana
Rams: 1945 Cleveland, 1951 Los Angeles, 1999 St. Louis

But the Braves just ended that with their 2nd championship in Atlanta, so I guess it's only fitting that the Rams are now poised to get the 2nd championship in Los Angeles. Both franchises will still be the only ones to have won championships in 3 different cities.

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

[1995hoo]

Here are 3 historical facts I find interesting about this Super Bowl matchup:

1. Both Super Bowl teams originated in Ohio. The Rams were founded in Cleveland in 1936 and played there though the 1945 season.

2. This will be the the 4th time that the Rams have played a championship game against a team from Ohio and also the 4th time that they have played a championship game in their home stadium:

1949 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Eagles 14 Rams 0
1950 NFL Championship at Cleveland Municipal Stadium: Browns 30 Rams 28
1951 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Rams 24 Browns 17
1955 NFL Championship at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Browns 38 Rams 14

3. The Rams used to share a unique distinction with the Braves in that they were each franchises that had won 3 total championships with each one being in a different city:
Braves: 1914 Boston, 1957 Milwaukee, 1995 Altana
Rams: 1945 Cleveland, 1951 Los Angeles, 1999 St. Louis

But the Braves just ended that with their 2nd championship in Atlanta, so I guess it's only fitting that the Rams are now poised to get the 2nd championship in Los Angeles. Both franchises will still be the only ones to have won championships in 3 different cities.

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

If you view it that way, the baseball team in question no longer plays in Atlanta, either–their current ballpark is outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of Cumberland, Georgia.

[Buck87]

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

If you view it that way, the baseball team in question no longer plays in Atlanta, either–their current ballpark is outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of Cumberland, Georgia.

So from the nit picking stand point the Braves have already become the first team to win in 4 different cities/place names and the Rams can join them in that category.

Though that's not really my style. I'm fine with counting them for the city they have in their official name. I only really like to do the "stadium location within the metro" nit pick when state lines are involved (such as the Giants winning 4 titles for NY and 4 for NJ or Sporting Kansas City winning 1 title for MO and 1 for KS)

[ethanhopkin14]

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

If you view it that way, the baseball team in question no longer plays in Atlanta, either–their current ballpark is outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of Cumberland, Georgia.

So from the nit picking stand point the Braves have already become the first team to win in 4 different cities/place names and the Rams can join them in that category.

Though that's not really my style. I'm fine with counting them for the city they have in their official name. I only really like to do the "stadium location within the metro" nit pick when state lines are involved (such as the Giants winning 4 titles for NY and 4 for NJ or Sporting Kansas City winning 1 title for MO and 1 for KS)

I hate that nit picking of actual stadium location.  The team found cheap real-estate that was large enough outside of the city limits of the city they hail from.  Everyone knows the Rams are based in Los Angeles and not Englewood, just as the Angles also have Los Angeles as their anchor city and not Anaheim.  I don't even care about The Giants/Jets playing in New Jersey.  They play in a suburb; that suburb happens to cross a state line.  There is no question East Rutherford is in the New York metro area. 

I have never once been to a Cowboys game in Arlington (or Irving before that) and wondered why they weren't called the Arlington Cowboys.  I looked at the largest city in the Metroplex and said that city deserves the name it being the largest one, regardless if the team plays in a suburb. 

[thspfc]

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

If you view it that way, the baseball team in question no longer plays in Atlanta, either–their current ballpark is outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of Cumberland, Georgia.

So from the nit picking stand point the Braves have already become the first team to win in 4 different cities/place names and the Rams can join them in that category.

Though that's not really my style. I'm fine with counting them for the city they have in their official name. I only really like to do the "stadium location within the metro" nit pick when state lines are involved (such as the Giants winning 4 titles for NY and 4 for NJ or Sporting Kansas City winning 1 title for MO and 1 for KS)

I hate that nit picking of actual stadium location.  The team found cheap real-estate that was large enough outside of the city limits of the city they hail from.  Everyone knows the Rams are based in Los Angeles and not Englewood, just as the Angles also have Los Angeles as their anchor city and not Anaheim.  I don't even care about The Giants/Jets playing in New Jersey.  They play in a suburb; that suburb happens to cross a state line.  There is no question East Rutherford is in the New York metro area. 

I have never once been to a Cowboys game in Arlington (or Irving before that) and wondered why they weren't called the Arlington Cowboys.  I looked at the largest city in the Metroplex and said that city deserves the name it being the largest one, regardless if the team plays in a suburb.

Ridiculous and obsessive nitpicking has been a theme on this forum for its entire existence.

[ethanhopkin14]

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

If you view it that way, the baseball team in question no longer plays in Atlanta, either–their current ballpark is outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of Cumberland, Georgia.

So from the nit picking stand point the Braves have already become the first team to win in 4 different cities/place names and the Rams can join them in that category.

Though that's not really my style. I'm fine with counting them for the city they have in their official name. I only really like to do the "stadium location within the metro" nit pick when state lines are involved (such as the Giants winning 4 titles for NY and 4 for NJ or Sporting Kansas City winning 1 title for MO and 1 for KS)

I hate that nit picking of actual stadium location.  The team found cheap real-estate that was large enough outside of the city limits of the city they hail from.  Everyone knows the Rams are based in Los Angeles and not Englewood, just as the Angles also have Los Angeles as their anchor city and not Anaheim.  I don't even care about The Giants/Jets playing in New Jersey.  They play in a suburb; that suburb happens to cross a state line.  There is no question East Rutherford is in the New York metro area. 

I have never once been to a Cowboys game in Arlington (or Irving before that) and wondered why they weren't called the Arlington Cowboys.  I looked at the largest city in the Metroplex and said that city deserves the name it being the largest one, regardless if the team plays in a suburb.

Ridiculous and obsessive nitpicking has been a theme on this forum for its entire existence.

Fair enough. 

[1995hoo]

If you want to nit pick, Inglewood would be the 4th different city.

If you view it that way, the baseball team in question no longer plays in Atlanta, either–their current ballpark is outside the city limits in the unincorporated area of Cumberland, Georgia.

So from the nit picking stand point the Braves have already become the first team to win in 4 different cities/place names and the Rams can join them in that category.

Though that's not really my style. I'm fine with counting them for the city they have in their official name. I only really like to do the "stadium location within the metro" nit pick when state lines are involved (such as the Giants winning 4 titles for NY and 4 for NJ or Sporting Kansas City winning 1 title for MO and 1 for KS)

I hate that nit picking of actual stadium location.  The team found cheap real-estate that was large enough outside of the city limits of the city they hail from.  Everyone knows the Rams are based in Los Angeles and not Englewood, just as the Angles also have Los Angeles as their anchor city and not Anaheim.  I don't even care about The Giants/Jets playing in New Jersey.  They play in a suburb; that suburb happens to cross a state line.  There is no question East Rutherford is in the New York metro area. 

I have never once been to a Cowboys game in Arlington (or Irving before that) and wondered why they weren't called the Arlington Cowboys.  I looked at the largest city in the Metroplex and said that city deserves the name it being the largest one, regardless if the team plays in a suburb. 

Then you have the situation here, with a team named "Washington" that plays in Maryland and has its headquarters and training facility in Virginia. That last part was highly relevant in a 1990s lawsuit between 16 Redskins players and the NFL players' union–Virginia is a right-to-work state (meaning you cannot be compelled to pay union dues as a condition of employment), while Maryland and DC emphatically are not, and the 16 players contended that they could not be forced to pay union dues because the overwhelming majority of their "work" for the team was conducted in Virginia. The players won. (Maryland was irrelevant for lawsuit purposes because at the time the Redskins played at RFK Stadium in DC, but nowadays DC has basically no relevance beyond giving the team its name.)

[webny99]

Ridiculous and obsessive nitpicking has been a theme on this forum for its entire existence.

Fair enough.

Ahem.

Everyone knows the Rams are based in Los Angeles and not Englewood Inglewood

[Henry]

I'm so glad that the Rams are doing what the Buccaneers did last year (playing the Super Bowl on their own home field). And seeing that the Bengals are their opponents, it just made my prediction a lot easier: I have strong ties to L.A., so I'm picking the Rams to win it all. (Had the Chiefs won the AFC championship, it would've been more of a tossup, as they have been one of the most successful squads in the last three years, but no one can deny the great strides that Cincinnati has made in that timespan either, with the worst record in the league that led them to draft Joe Burrow, and after one more terrible season, getting his old college WR in the draft, after which they not only win their first division title in six years, but their first playoff win since 1990, and their first Super Bowl berth since 1988.)

[jgb191]

I pick the Rams to win Super Bowl LVI for one reason only:  If Tom Brady couldn't beat the Rams, what makes me believe the Bengals have any chance?

[DenverBrian]

Brady has officially retired.

[Max Rockatansky]

I pick the Rams to win Super Bowl LVI for one reason only:  If Tom Brady couldn't beat the Rams, what makes me believe the Bengals have any chance?

What chance did they have against KC? 

[NWI_Irish96]

On paper, the Rams have the edge, especially along the OL/DL, but the Bengals have been defying odds all year so I wouldn't count them out.

I'm just happy to have a Super Bowl where I'm not rooting against the Packers, Steelers or Tom Brady.

[triplemultiplex]

Brady has officially retired.

Timed perfectly to give sports media something to beat into the ground until kickoff in LA.

[Max Rockatansky]

Brady has officially retired.

Timed perfectly to give sports media something to beat into the ground until kickoff in LA.

Wasn't Brady due $15,000,000 on 2/4?  Kind of would be a total dick move to try to collect that and immediately announce your retirement. 

[JayhawkCO]

Brady has officially retired.

Timed perfectly to give sports media something to beat into the ground until kickoff in LA.

Wasn't Brady due $15,000,000 on 2/4?  Kind of would be a total dick move to try to collect that and immediately announce your retirement.

Don't like it from the Bucs' perspective?  Don't sign a 42-year-old to a contract that has escalators like that.

[NWI_Irish96]

Brady has officially retired.

Timed perfectly to give sports media something to beat into the ground until kickoff in LA.

Wasn't Brady due $15,000,000 on 2/4?  Kind of would be a total dick move to try to collect that and immediately announce your retirement.

Don't like it from the Bucs' perspective?  Don't sign a 42-year-old to a contract that has escalators like that.

The Bucs were perfectly willing to screw their salary cap for several years in order to win at least one Super Bowl and they've done that.

[JayhawkCO]

Brady has officially retired.

Timed perfectly to give sports media something to beat into the ground until kickoff in LA.

Wasn't Brady due $15,000,000 on 2/4?  Kind of would be a total dick move to try to collect that and immediately announce your retirement.

Don't like it from the Bucs' perspective?  Don't sign a 42-year-old to a contract that has escalators like that.

The Bucs were perfectly willing to screw their salary cap for several years in order to win at least one Super Bowl and they've done that.

And now Gronk will re-retire, Godwin will leave in Free Agency, etc., etc.  Not optimistic on their chances for the playoffs next year.

[Max Rockatansky]

Brady has officially retired.

Timed perfectly to give sports media something to beat into the ground until kickoff in LA.

Wasn't Brady due $15,000,000 on 2/4?  Kind of would be a total dick move to try to collect that and immediately announce your retirement.

Don't like it from the Bucs' perspective?  Don't sign a 42-year-old to a contract that has escalators like that.

The Bucs were perfectly willing to screw their salary cap for several years in order to win at least one Super Bowl and they've done that.

It's hard to argue that it didn't pay off consider they did get a Super Bowl win out of it.

[webny99]

And now Gronk will re-retire, Godwin will leave in Free Agency, etc., etc.  Not optimistic on their chances for the playoffs next year.

Yeah, except that with Brady gone and Sean Payton gone, 6 or 7 wins might be enough for the NFC South crown.

It's obviously way too early, but right now I would give all four teams roughly equal chance. It could be like the 2020 NFC East, maybe worse if that's even mathematically possible.

[Max Rockatansky]

And now Gronk will re-retire, Godwin will leave in Free Agency, etc., etc.  Not optimistic on their chances for the playoffs next year.

Yeah, except that with Brady gone and Sean Payton gone, 6 or 7 wins might be enough for the NFC South crown.

It's obviously way too early, but I would honestly give all four teams roughly equal chance. It could be like the 2020 NFC East, maybe worse if that's even mathematically possible.

New Orleans just needed a solid QB situation to be competitive.  They would have easily been the favorite in the Division if Sean Payton stuck around.

[webny99]

And now Gronk will re-retire, Godwin will leave in Free Agency, etc., etc.  Not optimistic on their chances for the playoffs next year.

Yeah, except that with Brady gone and Sean Payton gone, 6 or 7 wins might be enough for the NFC South crown.

It's obviously way too early, but I would honestly give all four teams roughly equal chance. It could be like the 2020 NFC East, maybe worse if that's even mathematically possible.

New Orleans just needed a solid QB situation to be competitive.  They would have easily been the favorite in the Division if Sean Payton stuck around.

A solid QB situation is easier said than done. I can't help wonder if that factored into Sean Payton's decision. They also have a massive salary cap problem, so I could see them going full rebuild.