HBO 'Hard Knocks' 2016: Best Rams Storylines, Moments, Reaction for Episode 1

Football is back in Los Angeles this year, and HBO was there to chronicle it Tuesday in the season's first episode of Hard Knocks.

The Los Angeles Rams haven't been to the playoffs since the 2004 season, but they will be one of the marquee storylines throughout the 2016 NFL campaign after leaving St. Louis—where they played from 1995-2015—for their old home. Fans received an early glimpse at the team's training camp in Irvine, California, during Tuesday's Hard Knocks, and there was plenty of football and amusement along the way.

It is a staple of Hard Knocks to provide comic relief in the midst of the physically and mentally grueling process of NFL training camp, and Tuesday's episode started with No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff riding a Goodyear blimp and coach Jeff Fisher fishing out in the wilderness. It represented some of the final activities for the two headlining names before the hectic start of a unique process.

Right on cue, the show highlighted the trek from St. Louis with equipment trucks, the players moving into new houses and the almost obligatory shots of Los Angeles. Guards Rodger Saffold and Jamon Brown were even shown working out at Muscle Beach in Venice as others took in the ocean.

Center Eric Kush discussed the various tank tops he will use to beat the California heat, and the team wasted little time responding on Twitter:

It was quickly back to football business, though, as Hard Knocks showed Fisher informing quarterback Nick Foles that the team released him after selecting Goff No. 1 in the draft. The quarterback situation figures to be one of the defining themes of training camp for the Rams as Goff and Case Keenum compete for the starting job.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport even reported on Tuesday that "it's clear there is a real chance [Keenum] enters the season as the starter. That's the plan, as of now."

The first lengthy practice film showcased Goff's learning curve, as he struggled some with receiving snaps from Kush and finding receivers downfield against live defenses. Quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke stressed to Goff that the expectations surrounding him are high despite his status as a rookie.

Expectations were one thing, but Goff had it better than wide receiver Deon Long, who was released in the episode for breaking a head-turning rule, as Lindsey Thiry of the Los Angeles Times noted:

Superstars don't have to worry about getting released, and one of them showed off his pingpong skills in another lighthearted moment of Tuesday's episode. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year, a 2015 first-team All-Pro member and a two-time Pro Bowler, but he may have missed his calling card.

The NFL shared the action and defensive end Eugene Sims' take on Donald's dominance:

It wasn't all fun and games, and Hard Knocks showed the Rams stretching out with yoga after a grinding practice. Thiry said she "knew this special teams practice would make the episode. It’s been the most physical portion of training camp," while the team reacted to the contrast between yoga and football:

Even with the physical practices, the Rams players saw a glance at the Los Angeles lifestyle when celebrities such as rapper Kendrick Lamar showed up, via NFL Films:

One candidate who could shine in the Los Angeles spotlight is superstar running back Todd Gurley. Gurley ran for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns in 13 games during his rookie season and figures to become even more dangerous with additional NFL experience under his belt. Hard Knocks highlighted his work at practice, his tendency to talk trash to teammates and even a local commercial that featured him.

The Rams will likely rely on him even more until the quarterback position is settled, but fans can take solace in the fact that Goff was seen getting extra work in on the field after the Gurley montage.

Goff and Gurley were obvious candidates to be featured in the first episode of Hard Knocks, but wide receiver Tavon Austin also received plenty of screen time. He drove around on a golf cart playing Pokemon Go during a day off in footage Rand Getlin of NFL Network called "pretty awesome." Austin also made waves at practice, as Thiry and NFL Films shared:

After all the high jinks and practice footage, the episode ended with the Rams taking the field inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in front of 25,000 fans. It was the culmination of a long journey back to California for the franchise and highlighted just how excited the fans of the area are for the return of the Rams.