The Rams ... again?
I get it. The Rams are back after what amounts to an extended hiatus, and remember, they also got the season-long All Or Nothing treatment in 2016 (the series aired the following summer). That's quite a bit of coverage in a four-year stretch. On the plus side, the roster has turned over substantially since that lost 2016 season and Sean McVay sits in the big chair, a compelling alternative to erstwhile mustachioed coach Jeff Fisher -- who was last seen holding a tiny dog and waving goodbye to the team bus after being fired. It feels like everything has changed for the Rams since then, so no need to get too worked up about the return engagement.
Will the Rams and Chargers get equal love?
I'll be interested to see if one team gets more coverage than the other. If one camp is popping and the other is dull, do they still commit to a 50/50 split in terms of episode coverage? I'd say follow the entertainment. Rodgers indicated the same, but said he believed there is a generous list of compelling storylines to follow on both sides.
How will Hard Knocks handle covering both teams from a logistical angle in a COVID-19 world?
The production runs smaller than usual at each site, but it's still a monster. There will be 30 crew members with NFL Films at each camp and more than 400 hours of footage per week to cull through for the Hard Knocks editing crew. The NFL Films crew is working at 75 percent capacity at each site in relation to past Hard Knocks seasons with no pandemic-related restrictions. Of course, NFL Films itself is working at 150 percent capacity with two teams to cover. Like I said, it's a monster.
Speaking for the crew, Rodgers acknowledged it's not going to be a fun summer for Hard Knocks personnel on site. They'll essentially be in a bubble within a bubble, with little access to the outside world beyond their hotel rooms. Hope they have good internet.
What are the top football storylines to follow?
For the Chargers, everyone will be plugged into the quarterback situation. For the second time in three years, Tyrod Taylor is on premium cable being talked up as the steady veteran fully capable of holding down the starting job while the first-round QB develops behind the scenes. And just like with Baker Mayfield and the Browns in 2018, you can fully expect Justin Herbert to take poor Ty-God's gig by Week 3 or so. But for now? Get ready to hear Anthony Lynn and various Chargers coaches talk up Taylor like he's the secret cosmic love child of Randall Cunningham and Johnny Unitas. That's just how this works.
Hopefully we'll learn more about Derwin James, the uber-talented safety looking to reassert himself after an injury-wrecked 2019. Then there's Joey Bosa, who just signed the biggest deal ever for a defensive player. NFL Films teased that pen-to-paper moment last week:
August 11, 2020 at 12:46AM
https://www.nfl.com/news/hard-knocks-los-angeles-preview-what-to-expect-this-year
'Hard Knocks: Los Angeles' preview: What to expect this year - NFL.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=hard&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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