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September 4, 2014 at 1:06 am #6253znModerator
Contents:
Goesling (Minn. reporter): Peterson returns to site of big day vs. Rams
The Star Tribune’s (Minn) Matt Vensel and CineSport’s Noah Coslov preview the Vikings opener
Thomas: Here comes AP: Vikings RB poses huge threat to Rams
Wagoner + Goesling: Vikings vs. Rams preview
Wagoner: Rams have hands full with Adrian Peterson
Lyons: Rams report: Team, coaches are ready for Minnesota on Sunday
Wagoner: Rams-Vikings Matchup breakdown
vid: The NFL Live crew make their picks for Minnesota at St. Louis
vid: Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher joined Zig Fracassi & Pat Kirwan & talked about his QB situation, the impact of rookie Aaron Donald and preparing to face Adrian Peterson.
vid: The STL Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas tells CineSport’s Noah Coslov how significant the Vikings game is for the Rams
Wagoner: W2W4, St. Louis Rams
September 4, 2014 at 1:06 am #6016znModeratorPeterson returns to site of big day vs. Rams
By Ben Goessling
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/138589/peterson-returns-to-site-of-big-day-vs-rams
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The first carry of Adrian Peterson’s 2013 season saw him break free for a 78-yard touchdown. The first of the 2014 season will come in the building where he recorded the longest run of his career the last time he visited.
The Minnesota Vikings’ previous trip to St. Louis came in Week 15 of the 2012 season, in a game the Vikings had to win to keep themselves in the playoff race. Peterson was in the middle of a transcendent stretch, having logged at least 100 yards in his previous seven games and gaining 210 two weeks before in Green Bay. The Rams game, though, turned out to be Peterson’s best of the season; he ran for 212 yards on 24 carries, with 82 of them coming on a touchdown run that helped him get the last word over a defense Peterson said had him in a foul mood that day.
“What I do remember about that game is that it’s first time in eight years, I’ve ever talked off to players,” Peterson said in a conference call with St. Louis reporters on Wednesday. “Those guys had me so hot; like, I haven’t ever been that mad playing football. Those guys were just running to the ball — I love it, too — but (they) were just yapping at the mouth. I’m talking about from the defensive front to the second level to the secondary. Those guys were just yapping and they were doing pretty good initially, kind of getting a couple tackles for loss, a couple of three-and-outs. And then when I gunned at them one time, it got real quiet. I’m not going to give you my hint. I hope they come in talking a lot of noise this time, too. I’m excited to play these guys.”
Sunday’s game should be a good opening test for Peterson against an aggressive Rams defense that was ninth in the league against the run last season while posting 53 sacks. The Rams took down opposing quarterbacks on 10.2 percent of their dropbacks, which was tied for the second-highest rate in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and pressure from the St. Louis front four could make Peterson a safety valve for Matt Cassel, through his new role in the passing game and delayed handoffs designed to take advantage of aggressive fronts.
“I think they do a tremendous job up front creating pressure, making you get the ball out quick, make quick decisions at the quarterback position,” Cassel said. “I think it’s going to be a big task for us this week to take care of that front and be able to let me get the ball out and I think that these guys will be up for the challenge.”
Peterson didn’t play at all in the preseason, and has seemed eager to get his first game action in the Vikings’ new offense after a long stretch of non-contact work. “He welcomes contact even when he’s running and doing those thing,” Cassel said. “You can see that he doesn’t shy away from it and it’s almost the defender’s responsibility to get out of the way. I think that that’s how he’s got to practice and that’s how he plays no matter what the situation and that’s good because once he gets to the season I think that’s why he’s ready to go.”
He’ll have a little extra edge playing against a Rams defense that brought out the best in him last time.
“They have some guys that can get to the ball, to the passer and they run to the ball well,” Peterson said. “I know Coach Zimmer would love that type of defense. I’m excited to play those guys.”
September 4, 2014 at 1:06 am #6015RamBillParticipantThe Star Tribune’s Matt Vensel and CineSport’s Noah Coslov preview the Vikings opener vs. the Rams by talking about pass protection, Adrian Peterson and how to get after Rams QB Shaun Hill.
http://www.rams-news.com/can-the-vikings-o-line-handle-the-rams-pass-rush-video/
September 4, 2014 at 2:12 am #6028RamBillParticipantHere comes AP: Vikings RB poses huge threat to Rams
• By Jim ThomasThe last time Adrian Peterson visited the Gateway to the West, he was totally shut down in the first quarter at the Edward Jones Dome.
Five of his first eight carries that day went for negative yardage. Entering the second quarter, he had eight yards to show for those eight carries. The Rams’ defense was all over him, physically and verbally.
“I think that’s the first time in eight years I’ve ever talked noise to players,” Peterson said on a conference call Wednesday with St. Louis reporters. “Those guys had me so hot — I haven’t ever been that mad playing football.
“They were yapping at the mouth. I’m talking about from the defensive front, to the second level, to the secondary. Those guys were just yapping and they were doing pretty good initially.
“And then when I gutted them that one time, it got real quiet. … I hope they come in talking a lot of noise this time, too.”
Peterson gutted them to the tune of an 82-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Not only did it break a 7-7 tie, it broke the Rams’ backs, starting a run of 26 unanswered points for the Vikings, who went on to win 36-22 in 2012.
By day’s end, Peterson had 212 yards rushing — his last carry of the day went for 52 — en route to a 2,097-yard season, the second-highest season total in NFL history.
The mid-December loss ended any hopes of a playoff berth in Jeff Fisher’s inaugural Rams season; the team had been flirting with wild-card status at the time.
Even though the Vikings were playing it ultra-conservative at the time with quarterback Christian Ponder, de facto Rams defensive coordinator Blake Williams called a blitz on the play — a strange call on a 1st-and-10 from the Vikings’ 18.
Williams, the son of current defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, was not retained at the end of the season. At the Senior Bowl five weeks later, Blake told the Post-Dispatch that he thought that call may have led to his dismissal.
“We were in the wrong defense, obviously, ” Fisher said after that game. “We were expecting pass … and so I think as coaches we have to take that.”
Exactly why the Rams were expecting pass remains a mystery because the Vikings were the league’s 32nd-ranked pass offense at the time.
In any event, the Rams sent safety Quintin Mikell and linebacker Rocky McIntosh in from their right on a blitz. Compounding matters was the fact that defensive tackle Kendall Langford dropped off the line into coverage. All of that left Peterson with a huge hole once he reached the line of scrimmage — and he knew what to do with it.
But back to the chirping. Did Peterson’s run quiet the Rams?
“I guess that’s his opinion,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “That’s all right. Maybe we got quiet; maybe we didn’t.”
“Well, you know, when you take the ball 82 yards to the house, there’s not much to say after that,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
So Laurinaitis was impressed with the play?
“There’s a lot of plays that Adrian has that I’m impressed with,” Laurinaitis replied.
There’s no doubting that. In the Rams’ defensive team meeting Wednesday, Gregg Williams told the players they were facing the best back in football in Sunday’s season opener at the Edward Jones Dome.
Defensive end Chris Long explained why.
“He doesn’t avoid contact, and if you’re a DB, he’s gonna find out if you like to hit people or not,” Long said. “And he’s gonna figure out who wants to tackle.”
Coupled with that punishing style is excellent vision and tremendous open-field acceleration.
“There’s some great backs just as good as him in the tackle box,” Long said. “But when he gets in the second level and when you let him out into the back end of your defense, he’s the best. And that’s what separates him.”
So for all the hype about the Rams’ pass rush and the #SackCity nickname, Sunday’s game figures to be more a test of how well the Rams play run defense.
Can they neutralize Peterson?
“That’s the only way you can give yourself a chance to win the game,” Dunbar said. “Neutralize him, which is easier said than done. We know the type of challenge that he brings. We know his attitude, and the running style. He can change the game obviously.”
Peterson comes to the dome with fresh legs.
As has been the case in recent years, he didn’t play at all in the entire preseason. He hasn’t carried the football once in exhibition play since 2011.
In fact, his only exhibition action over the past three years was two snaps in Game 3 against San Francisco. (He was a decoy on a pair of play-action passes.)
Peterson spent his game nights this August chewing sunflower seeds — Ranch flavor — on the sideline.
“Two bags, man,” Peterson said. “I try to not have a dip in (of tobacco), so I constantly have to have the seeds in the mouth.”
Peterson, who turned 29 in March, is closing in on 30 — the age when many running backs fall off the cliff in terms of production. His yards per carry dropped from 6.0 during his superhuman 2012 season to a still very respectable 4.5 last season.
After the 2,000-yard campaign, he rushed for “only” 1,266 yards last season, missing 2 ½ games late in the year with groin and foot injuries. Peterson underwent offseason groin surgery, but says he’s fully healthy.
Healthy and ready to quiet the dome Sunday afternoon. Not that the Rams’ defense is going to change its tune.
“No,” Langford said. “We’re going to be us. We will keep talking. We’re gonna hit, we’re gonna stick, we’re gonna talk (stuff).”
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UP NEXT
Rams opener • Noon Sunday vs. Minnesota
TV • KTVI (Ch. 2)
September 4, 2014 at 12:44 pm #6053RamBillParticipantVikings vs. Rams preview
By Nick Wagoner and Ben Goesslinghttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11256/double-coverage-vikings-at-rams
The St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings enter Sunday’s regular-season opener coming off disappointing 2013 seasons in which quarterback stability was not a strong suit for either side.
In St. Louis, the Rams have already changed quarterbacks because of the season-ending knee injury to starter Sam Bradford. In Minnesota, many expect it to be a matter of time before the Vikings make the change to rookie Teddy Bridgewater for reasons beyond health.
Both teams reside in tough divisions where wins will be difficult to come by. Both are in serious need of a Week 1 victory.
ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner and Vikings reporter Ben Goessling discuss this week’s matchup.
Nick Wagoner: There might be some in the Rams’ locker room still having nightmares about Adrian Peterson’s last visit to the Edward Jones Dome. Clearly, it all starts with him, but how has he looked in camp and in what ways should we expect to see him used differently in the Vikings’ new offense?
Ben Goessling: He’s going to be a much bigger part of the passing game than he’s been in recent years, or possibly any point in his career. We didn’t see Peterson in a preseason game, but the Vikings have been happy with his progress during training camp, saying he looks like a natural pass-catcher and has shown a good understanding of what will be asked of him. If he’s going to be on the field in passing situations, of course, he’ll be asked to be a bigger factor in pass protection, which hasn’t been one of his strong suits. But the Vikings are excited about the chance to get him the ball in space more often and match him up on defensive backs who might have a harder time bringing him down than linemen and linebackers. They are also hoping the change in strategy leads to fewer hits on Peterson and will help prolong his productivity past the age of 29.
Speaking of players who might be causing nightmares for opponents, what kind of a challenge is Matt Kalil in for with Robert Quinn? He handled him well the last time they met, but how has Quinn progressed in the past two years, and how has he looked under Gregg Williams?
Wagoner: Kalil is in for one of the most difficult challenges he’ll face in this league. Quinn had 19 sacks and seven forced fumbles last year, but there are those at Rams Park who believe he’s only scratched the surface of his potential. Quinn has freakish athleticism, which allows him to bend and contort his body in ways most tackles never see while maintaining his speed. He is able to win around the edge more often than not, but he’s also developed better hand usage and counters over the past couple of years under the guidance of defensive line coach Mike Waufle. With Williams leading the defense, the Rams want to be more aggressive in all areas, which means he can dial up blitzes, but Williams has never had a front four like this one. That should allow him to get plenty of heat on the quarterback without having to call those blitzes as much. It should make the Rams more multiple and allow Williams to do some unique things with Quinn and his line mates.
While we’re on the topic of defense, I’ve long admired the work of new Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. What is he bringing to the table on that side of the ball, and what are some strengths and weaknesses the Rams’ offense will contend with on Sunday?
Goessling: Zimmer is bringing a more aggressive defense to the Vikings than anything we’ve seen in the past seven years under the team’s old Cover 2 scheme. The Vikings won’t be blitzing on every down, by any means — Zimmer actually hasn’t been that heavy of a blitzer as a defensive coordinator — but when they do, they’ll bring pressure from a number of different spots. They’ll move rookie linebacker Anthony Barr around and occasionally send defensive backs after the quarterback. Zimmer’s scheme is predicated on every player knowing how his assignment affects the rest of the defense — he had a film room built with stadium seating so the entire unit could watch film together — and his defenses typically don’t make many mistakes. How all that will work for the Vikings in Year 1, though, I’m not sure. They’re still young in the secondary, where they’re counting on Xavier Rhodes taking the next step as a cover corner in his second year, and any time they’re facing multiple-receiver sets, their cornerback depth will be tested.
Will Shaun Hill be able to stress the Vikings’ defense on Sunday, though? What do you expect from the veteran in his first shot at replacing Bradford?
Wagoner: I think Hill is a solid, steady hand, but he’s obviously limited in what he can do when it comes to stressing a defense. The good news is the Rams won’t be asking him to do too much outside of his comfort zone. This was always going to be a run-first offense, even with Bradford, and nothing has changed in that regard. Jeff Fisher insists the Rams won’t scale back the offense for Hill, though that remains to be seen. Instead, they’ll ask him to manage the game, not turn the ball over and take advantage of opportunities in play-action. Hill doesn’t have the strongest arm, so it will be interesting to see if he can push the ball down the field when the Rams do ask him to throw. And the last time Hill played, he had Calvin Johnson to go up and get it. He doesn’t have anything remotely close to Johnson here.
Neither of these teams is exactly working with Peyton Manning under center. Matt Cassel is getting the call for the Vikings. What does he bring to the table, and do you believe going with him over Bridgewater is the right move? How long before Bridgewater takes over?
Goessling: I think it was the right move, for now. There’s a lot of confidence in Cassel from the Vikings’ offensive starters, many of whom are veterans who want to win now, and having Cassel allows the Vikings to be patient with Bridgewater. Zimmer talked about that Wednesday morning, saying the Vikings have effectively had Cassel installed as their starter since the start of training camp, and that they won’t change their minds after the first interception. I do think we’ll see Bridgewater at some point this season, but that’s based on a belief the Vikings won’t be in the thick of the playoff race at the end of the year. If they are, it probably would be because Cassel helped get them there. In any case, I think he’ll have the job as long as he’s effective. There’s no need to rush Bridgewater.
The Vikings and Rams both took multidimensional receivers in the 2013 draft in Tavon Austin and Cordarrelle Patterson. The Vikings have big plans for Patterson in Year 2, with Norv Turner taking over as the offensive coordinator. How do the Rams plan to use Austin, and will his role on special teams decrease at all if he’s a bigger part of the offense?
Wagoner: Well, I think it’s safe to say Austin doesn’t project to produce as much as Patterson entering their second seasons, and that’s enough to anger some Rams fans who felt the team gave up a lot to get Austin when it could have stayed where it was and drafted Patterson. But Austin still figures to play a prominent role in the offense. The Rams moved him around a lot during the preseason and training camp, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him lining up outside, in the slot and even in the backfield. He did all of those things last year, but the Rams could stand to mix up those looks even further this year. He’s going to play plenty and will continue to be the team’s primary punt returner, though it appears he’s ceded the kick return job for now. The Rams and Austin showed some flashes of his potential late in the year before his season ended early because of an ankle injury. They’re hoping they can build on that this year, though it remains to be seen that they can.
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Vikings at Rams: Stats of the Week
0
Number of passes Rams quarterback Shaun Hill threw in four seasons with the Vikings to start his career as he makes his first start as a Ram against Minnesota on Sunday.
170
The number of net yards Adrian Peterson needs to tie Cris Carter for the most in team history. Peterson begins his eighth season with 12,240 yards; Carter needed 12 seasons in Minnesota to reach that total.
September 4, 2014 at 3:46 pm #6061RamBillParticipantRams have hands full with Adrian Peterson
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11309/rams-have-hands-full-with-peterson
EARTH CITY, Mo. — St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis winces at its mention. The it in this case being the 82-yard lightning bolt of a touchdown run Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson delivered in his team’s win against the Rams in a 2012 meeting.
That was the last time the Rams and Vikings met, a 36-22 Minnesota win in which Peterson was held to 8 yards on his first eight carries before ripping off the long touchdown run that essentially buried the Rams.
“I remember that 82-yard run that Adrian had,” Laurinaitis said. “I thought we came out, played solid the first quarter and then bam, he hits that. You can shut him down, shut him down, shut him down but really any play he can take it to the house.”
The play was one of the most memorable of that season for all the wrong reasons. While nobody will really say it now, it was also the play that shined a negative light on then linebackers coach/de facto defensive coordinator Blake Williams.
On first-and-10 from Minnesota’s 18, Williams called for an odd zone blitz in which defensive tackle Kendall Langford faked toward the line of scrimmage then dropped back into coverage. Peterson burst through the spot Langford vacated, juked right, jumped back left, turned the speed to a higher gear, made safety Craig Dahl miss and raced the rest of the way for the touchdown.
Peterson’s big play not only gave Minnesota a 14-7 lead it would not relinquish but quieted a Rams defense that had spent most of the first quarter barking at him. He finished with 212 yards on 24 carries, including a 52-yard run later in the game.
“What I do remember about that game is that it’s first time in eight years, I’ve ever talked off to players,” Peterson said. “Those guys had me so hot; like, I haven’t ever been that mad playing football. Those guys were just running to the ball — I love it, too — but (they) were just yapping at the mouth. I’m talking about from the defensive front to the second level to the secondary. Those guys were just yapping and they were doing pretty good initially, kind of getting a couple tackles for loss, a couple of three-and-outs.
“Then when I gummed at them one time, it got real quiet.”
It’s become pretty common to see plenty of chirping from the Rams under coach Jeff Fisher. That part of it probably won’t change Sunday when the teams renew acquaintances. But there are plenty of things that have since that meeting.
While much of the personnel on the Rams defense is similar, most of it is far more experienced than it was at the time. Minnesota has a similar look on its offensive line but much more in the way of weapons to complement Peterson.
Most important, the Rams have a different, more experienced Williams guiding the defense. Gregg Williams, Blake’s father and the man who was supposed to be the defensive coordinator for that 2012 game is finally settled in that role.
“We’ve got a lot of the same guys here, but we’ve got a different approach and a different game plan to this,” Fisher said. “Realistically speaking you can’t shut him down. It’s hard to find a game where he’s (struggled) unless the team got real behind fast where you’ve taken him out and neutralized him. He’s a very talented player.”
Peterson will provide the toughest of tests for a defense which finished ninth in the league against the run 2013 but had games where it was nothing but a speed bump for the likes of Dallas’ DeMarco Murray and Tennessee’s Chris Johnson.
While the Rams should be better equipped to slow Peterson this time around, they also should be prepared for some new wrinkles. Minnesota offensive coordinator Norv Turner has brought his own ideas to the offense and has Peterson prepared to be more involved than ever after sitting out the preseason.
A short survey of Rams defenders on the best way to slow Peterson reveals that the first piece of the puzzle is understanding that he can’t be completely stopped. Second, each defender talks about swarming to the ball to prevent him from getting to the second level so that his long runs are limited to 12 to 15 yards rather than 70 to 80.
“He’s going to figure out who wants to tackle,” end Chris Long said. “I think when he gets in the second level and you let him out in the back end of your defense he’s the best. That’s what separates him is his ability to break a run. He’s not just going to chip away at you. He’s going to chip away at you and then you could have them pinned down on the 7-yard line and he’s going to go for 93 yards and a score so that’s what I think makes him one of the best.”
September 4, 2014 at 7:38 pm #6095RamBillParticipantThe NFL Live crew make their picks for Minnesota at St. Louis. Mark Schlereth and Darren Woodson both pick the Rams.
http://www.rams-news.com/espns-nfl-live-prediction-vikings-rams-video/
September 5, 2014 at 8:28 pm #6215RamBillParticipant
Rams report: Team, coaches are ready for Minnesota on Sunday
• By Joe LyonsThe Rams wrapped up practice Friday afternoon so now all that stands between them and the start of the NFL season is the Saturday’s walk-through.
The Rams host the Minnesota Vikings Sunday in a noon game at the Edward Jones Dome.
“We’ve got to fine-tune some things tomorrow,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “As a staff, we go through our thoughts regarding openers and things like that.
“We’ve had some really good practices in the heat and they’ve pushed right through it and they’ve pushed each other right through it. Their attention level is very high in the meetings, and they’re doing all the right things. They respect the opponent, they understand the challenges and they know it’s going to be a hard-fought game, that’s how openers are.
“The challenge to them is to get to know an uncommon opponent and that’s what we’ve challenged them to do this week.”
INJURY REPORT
Defensive end Eugene Sims (knee) was limited in practice Friday and listed as questionable (50-50) for Sunday’s game. The others listed by the Rams _ tackle Jake Long (knee), linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar (shoulder) and defensive end William Hayes (chest) were full participants for the second straight day and are probable for the season opener.
Also listed as probable is safety Maurice Alexander (Eureka High), who missed Friday’s workout with an excused absence.
As expected, cornerback Trumaine Johnson (knee) and C Barrett Jones (back) have been ruled out. They’re both weeks away from rejoining the team on the practice field.
Minnesota has ruled out linebackers Brandon Watts (knee) and Michael Mauti (foot) as well as fullback Zach Line (ankle).
Listed on the unofficial depth chart as a starter at right defensive end, Everson Griffen has been ill and did not practice Thursday or Friday. He is listed as questionable along with tackle Mike Harris (shoulder), who has been limited at practice.
Cornerback Jabari Price (shoulder) and wide receiver Rodney Smith (neck) have practiced all week and are probable.
RAM-BLINGS
Voted on by the players, the Rams have named their captains for the upcoming season _ Linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive end Chris Long, quarterback Shaun Hill and punter Johnny Hekker.
• The Rams made another practice squad move, adding Mike Remmers, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman, and waiving tackle Sean Hooey.
Remmers, a 25-year-old from Portland, walked on at Oregon State and ended up starting 44 games for the Beavers. He signed with Denver as an undrafted free agent in 2012 but spent the majority of that season on Tampa Bay’s practice squad.
He was claimed off the Buccaneers’ practice squad by San Diego in Oct. 2013 and made his NFL debut with the Chargers on Oct. 20, 2013. He was cut by San Diego in November and claimed on waivers by the Minnesota Vikings.
He was in camp, cut and placed on the practice squad by the Vikings before being released and claimed off waivers by the Rams.
The same Vikings the Rams play on Sunday.
“We didn’t bring him in for that reason. We brought him because we feel like he has some ability,” Fisher said. “He’s bounced around, played with some teams, but we watched him play in some preseason games and he looks like he has something to work with.”
Hooey, a 6-9, 304-pounder from the University of Cincinnati, signed as an undrafted free agent in May of 2013 and spent last year on the Rams’ practice squad.
September 6, 2014 at 11:14 am #6247RamBillParticipantRams-Vikings: Matchup breakdown
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11358/rams-vikings-matchup-breakdown
EARTH CITY, Mo. — A look at three matchups to keep an eye on when the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings meet at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Rams defensive end Robert Quinn vs. Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil
These two squared off in 2012 when Kalil was a rookie and Quinn was in his second season. On that day, Kalil mostly kept Quinn in check, limiting him to a single tackle as Quinn played just 35 snaps because his run defense was still a work in progress.
Since, Quinn has blossomed into one of the league’s elite pass rushers while Kalil has struggled to maintain the Pro Bowl form of his rookie season.
Even by his own admission, Kalil has said he has “wrinkles to iron out.” He better get them ironed out in a hurry because Quinn has looked nothing less than the dominant force he was in 2013 when he had 19 sacks and seven forced fumbles.
Speaking to Minnesota media earlier this week, Kalil cited the need to get his “technique and form back.” Things like footwork, technique and form are all things that can be exploited by any good pass rusher but also the types of things Quinn can use to completely wreck a game plan.
It’s probably safe to expect the Vikings to provide Kalil help against Quinn from down to down. If they don’t, it could be a long day at the office for Kalil.
Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree vs. Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph
One needs only to look at the history of Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner to realize how much he likes to use the tight end in his offense. There’s no better example of that than Turner’s work with Antonio Gates during their time together in San Diego. Turner’s latest project is Rudolph, the 6-foot-6, 258-pounder who missed eight games last season with a broken foot.
Rudolph healed up, lost weight and signed a contract extension with the Vikings that indicates they view him as a key piece to the offense into the future.
The Rams, on the other hand, were notoriously tough on tight ends last season. No tight end had more than the San Francisco 49ers’ Vernon Davis’ 82 yards in any game against the Rams.
That required a team effort from the Rams secondary and linebackers. Then-rookie Ogletree entered the league with a reputation for his coverage ability as a converted safety but he struggled in that area in his first season. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus had Ogletree with a negative-2.3 grade in coverage last season, allowing 72 receptions on 87 targets for 785 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Ogletree won’t be asked to match up with Rudolph exclusively but the Rams must be cognizant of where Rudolph is at all times to prevent him from starting the year with a bang.
Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein (and coverage unit) vs. Vikings kick returner/receiver Cordarrelle Patterson
As a rookie, Patterson burst on the scene with his unique ability to change games as a kick returner. He had success as a receiver and coming out of the backfield as a runner but kick returns were his greatest asset. He led all qualifying returners with an average return of 32.4 yards and returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns.
In a league in which the kick return is barely still a thing, Patterson made it his specialty. He was so good at it that Vikings coaches have given him the green light to return kicks even when he’s deep in his own end zone with the belief that the upside of it outweighs the bad.
Zuerlein was third in the NFL in touchback percentage in 2013 and the kickoff unit led the league in expected points added on kickoff and kickoff returns at 17.82. In other words, Zuerlein is capable of taking Patterson out of the kick return game without asking his teammates to make a tackle.
Earlier this week, Patterson even told the Minnesota media the story of how he asked Rams coach Jeff Fisher to kick to him when the teams meet Sunday. But the Rams and Zuerlein would be wise to avoid any sort of macho game playing and simply eliminate Patterson’s chances for a return by booming it out of the end zone.
September 6, 2014 at 11:29 am #6249RamBillParticipantRams Head Coach Jeff Fisher joined Zig Fracassi & Pat Kirwan & talked about his QB situation, the impact of rookie Aaron Donald and preparing to face Adrian Peterson.
September 6, 2014 at 11:40 am #6251RamBillParticipantThe STL Post-Dispatch’s Jim Thomas tells CineSport’s Noah Coslov how significant the Vikings game is for the Rams, how the defense must play Adrian Peterson & what we’ll learn about Shaun Hill. (3:05)
http://www.rams-news.com/jim-thomas-week-1-is-a-must-win-for-rams-video/
September 6, 2014 at 1:51 pm #6316RamBillParticipantW2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11355/w2w4-st-louis-rams-5
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings kick off the regular season Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on regional Fox coverage.
Here are three things to watch for from the Rams’ end:
1. How’s Hill?: Rams quarterback Shaun Hill started the preseason opener against New Orleans but hasn’t started a regular-season game since 2010, or a season-opener since he was with the San Francisco 49ers in 2009. Despite whatever rustiness he’ll have to deal with, Hill will not be set up for failure in this offense. The Rams were always going to be a run-first offense and that won’t change with Hill in charge. What Hill will be asked to do is take advantage of the opportunities that the run game might open for the pass, pushing the ball down the field on play-action. While he’s not known for his arm strength, Hill does have the ability to get the ball down the field. More importantly, the Rams need Hill to manage the game and take care of the ball. If he can do those two things, the Rams should have enough success running and on defense to be in position to open the season with a victory.
2. On the corner: The Rams have one of the youngest secondaries in the league and it’s actually possible the starting group will be even younger than originally projected when kickoff arrives Sunday. That’s especially true at cornerback, where third-year player Janoris Jenkins is penciled in at one spot. But the Rams could turn to rookies at the spot opposite Jenkins and in the nickel as Trumaine Johnson sits with a knee injury. Lamarcus Joyner is set as the team’s primary nickel corner, the role the team drafted him to play back in May. Sixth-round rookie E.J. Gaines and second-year corner Brandon McGee are the top options for the job, with McGee listed as Johnson’s backup on the unofficial depth chart. Gaines showed well in the preseason and McGee battled an ankle injury, which could make Gaines the better and more logical fit. But it’s asking a lot of any rookie, especially a sixth-rounder, to deal with the likes of Vikings receivers Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson in his first NFL game.
3. Containing Peterson: This almost goes without saying anytime the Vikings are the opponent, but as running back Adrian Peterson goes, so goes Minnesota. Peterson apparently still harbors some ill feelings toward the Rams from a 2012 meeting between the teams when Peterson didn’t like the amount of trash talk the Rams offered early in that game. Peterson went on to rush for 212 yards and a touchdown and went so far as to predict a touchdown run on his first carry in Sunday’s game. Whether or not Peterson is able to call his shot remains to be seen, but the Rams have no pretension of believing they can shut down Peterson. Instead, they’ll look to slow him down enough to make him earn every yard. If he gets to 100 yards or so, the Rams will be fine with it as long as it comes on 23-plus carries.
September 6, 2014 at 2:12 pm #6318RamBillParticipantRams MLB James Laurinaitis joins The Fast Lane (Randy Karraker & D’Marco Farr) discusses how the Rams plan to contain Adrian Peterson during their Week 1 matchup versus the Vikings.
September 6, 2014 at 7:55 pm #6340znModeratorW2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/11355/w2w4-st-louis-rams-5
2. On the corner: The Rams have one of the youngest secondaries in the league and it’s actually possible the starting group will be even younger than originally projected when kickoff arrives Sunday. That’s especially true at cornerback, where third-year player Janoris Jenkins is penciled in at one spot. But the Rams could turn to rookies at the spot opposite Jenkins and in the nickel as Trumaine Johnson sits with a knee injury. Lamarcus Joyner is set as the team’s primary nickel corner, the role the team drafted him to play back in May. Sixth-round rookie E.J. Gaines and second-year corner Brandon McGee are the top options for the job, with McGee listed as Johnson’s backup on the unofficial depth chart. Gaines showed well in the preseason and McGee battled an ankle injury, which could make Gaines the better and more logical fit. But it’s asking a lot of any rookie, especially a sixth-rounder, to deal with the likes of Vikings receivers Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson in his first NFL game.
To me, if the game gets iffy, this is where it will happen. Rams secondary.
September 6, 2014 at 8:53 pm #6341RamBillParticipantSt. Louis Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree spoke with the media on Friday before the season home opener against the Vikings. (2:21)
http://www.rams-news.com/rams-lb-alec-ogletree-i-want-this-to-be-a-big-season-for-me-video/
September 7, 2014 at 2:12 am #6362RamBillParticipant
Rams-Vikings: Seven for Sunday
• By Jim ThomasOver the years QB Shaun Hill has gone 4-0 against the Rams, posting passer ratings of 100-plus in three of those contests. So after watching him win games against them, the Rams now want him to win games for them. But there is lots of uncertainty. After throwing only 16 passes the past three seasons for Detroit, can Hill adjust quickly to regular-season game speed? And it’s not like we saw a lot of him in the preseason — he had his moments but threw only 17 times, the fewest of any of the four QBs in camp.
DEFENDING AP
Although the running styles are different, Adrian Peterson has similarities to a pair of the all-time greats. As was the case with Barry Sanders, you can absolutely stop Peterson for a quarter, a half, five carries, 10 carries — but then he’ll rip off a long game-changing run. It takes an all-day commitment of swarming to the football against him. And like the late, great Walter Payton, Peterson initiates contact — he doesn’t run away from it. If your heart isn’t into tackling, Peterson will tear the heart out of your defense.
MORE THAN AP
Don’t expect the same ultra-conservative Minnesota offensive approach that played out at the Dome two years ago. Not with Norv Turner calling plays. Not with Cordarelle Patterson and Greg Jennings at wide receiver. Not with Kyle Rudolph at tight end. The Vikings will test the Rams defense on every level. And Turner remains one of the league’s better play-callers. Patterson has deep speed and also is used on gadget plays carrying the football. Beware of Rudolph; Turner always likes to get his tight ends involved.
STORMING THE CASSELL
If Peterson’s running puts the Vikings in a lot of second-and-short, third-and-short situations, the Rams won’t have much of a chance to unleash #SackCity, their heralded pass rush. And if the Vikings can keep the Rams and Gregg Williams guessing, Matt Cassell has enough skill to do some damage. “Matt’s a smart, veteran quarterback,” Rams LB James Laurinaitis said. “And he’s been throwing the ball really well in preseason.” Cassell is more than a pocket passer, he can scramble effectively.
KICKOFF ALERT
What Patterson does best is return kickoffs. As a rookie, Patterson set franchise records for kickoff return yards (1,393) and kickoff return average (32.4 yards). He took two of those returns to the house, including an NFL record 109-yard return for a TD last October against Green Bay. Couple that with the fact that the Rams’ kickoff return unit sprung some leaks in the preseason — opponents averaged 27.3 yards per return — and there is cause for concern for special teams coordinator John Fassel’s crew.
MINNY UP FRONT
For years when facing the Vikings defense, you were used to seeing Jared Allen wreaking havoc on the edge and the Williams Wall — the unrelated Pat and Kevin Williams — in the middle at tackle. Well, they’re all gone now. Three of Minnesota’s four starters up front are new, as are all four backups. It’s a young group with good potential, but it’s an inexperienced unit. The Vikings will move rookie LB Anthony Barr up front in passing situations and pair him with Allen’s successor, Everson Griffin, at DE.
SECONDARY CONCERNS?
The Vikings finished 31st in pass defense a year ago and still have what a couple weak spots on the back end. No. 3 corner Josh Robinson struggled with penalties and injury a year ago as a starter but now comes off the bench in the nickel. He plays outside, with starter Captain Munnerlyn — the former Carolina Panther — sliding inside to cover the slot. And at strong safety, Robert Blanton has claimed the job almost by default and missed time in camp with a hamstring injury. He has only three career starts.
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