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August 28, 2014 at 12:15 am #5345
RamBillParticipantRams at Miami: Five things to watch
• By Jim ThomasSAM VS. WESTBROOKS
If you were scoring this defensive end battle like a heavyweight fight, give Ethan Westbrooks both Round 1 (New Orleans) and Round 2 (Green Bay). Round 3 (Cleveland) went to Michael Sam. The fourth and final round of the preseason, tonight in Miami, ranks as one of the most important games of their careers. Will it be Sam, Westbrooks, or both on the 53-man roster?
LIFE WITHOUT BRADFORD
Shaun Hill gets the first of what could be many starts as Rams quarterback. Jeff Fisher declined to reveal, even in general terms, how much Hill would play tonight. If Hill is shaky, does it cause Fisher to re-think his QB plans going forward? The same holds for backup Austin Davis and No. 3 Garrett Gilbert. Fisher and GM Les Snead will sleep better if all three play well.
BACKFIELD STABLE IV
If Benny Cunningham isn’t challenging Zac Stacy for the starting job, he’s certainly pushing him for playing time. He’s been the best Rams RB on the field this preseason. And what to do with Tre Watts? A strong showing against the Dolphins could push him into a roster spot. If so, that would be five RBs on the squad again, which is a lot assuming Chase Reynolds makes the squad.
CORNERBACK CAROUSEL
With Trumaine Johnson sidelined until at least late September with a knee injury, the auditioning is under way for a starting cornerback job. With Brandon McGee (ankle) not practicing this week, Mizzou rookie E.J. Gaines could get the first crack tonight. But Marcus Roberson, Darren Woodard and Greg Reid are also in the picture. Not all of them will make the final roster.
BUBBLE BOWL
There are roster battles to be decided at several other positions. At tight end, will it be the blocker (Justice Cunningham) or the receiver (Alex Bayer) for the fourth tight end spot? … Travis Bond and Brandon Washington are fighting for a backup guard job. Both have also played some tackle as well. … Phillip Steward and Lawrence Wilson are vying for the sixth LB spot.
August 28, 2014 at 12:15 am #5341RamBillParticipantRams must balance need for cohesion with risk of injury in preseason finale
By STEVE KORTE
http://www.bnd.com/2014/08/27/3370371_rams-must-balance-need-for-cohesion.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
ST. LOUIS — While many NFL teams rest most of their starters in the final preseason game rather than risk injury, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher has a major quandary in the aftermath of quarterback Sam Bradford’s season-ending knee injury.
Does he get backup quarterback Shaun Hill much-needed snaps with the starting offense in the Rams’ preseason finale against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday?
Or, does he sit out most his offensive starters rather than gamble on having anymore devastating injuries?
“We’re working through it,” Fisher said. “We feel like we just finished up the Cleveland game. We’re going to be selective and some may play more than others. Really, that’s all I can say now.”
The Rams (1-2) are preparing for life without their franchise quarterback for the second straight season after Bradford tore the ACL in his left knee for the second time in less than a year during the first offensive series of the Rams’ 33-14 win over the Cleveland Browns last Saturday.
“I’ll use this analogy: You lose a tough regular season game, you put it in perspective,” Fisher said the approach to the loss of Bradford. “You almost have a 24-hour rule, you come back and get ready for next week. That’s how players are, and that’s what their mindset is today. They are ready to go, they are ready to do everything they possibly can to help Shaun be successful.”
Austin Davis, who would be the Rams’ backup quarterback if the season started today, should see a lot of action against the Dolphins.
Fisher said he liked Davis’ mobility.
“First off, he’s smart, he understands what we’re doing,” Fisher said. “He can extend plays if he needs to. He’s gotten much better at keeping his eyes downfield, and that’s a hard thing to learn. It’s almost a trait. But, when you can feel around the pocket with your eyes down the field you’ve got a chance to make plays.”
The game will be the final chance for many of the Rams’ young players to stake a claim to a roster spot.
The Rams must trim their roster from 75 players to 53 players by Saturday afternoon.
One of the best battles for a roster spot has been waged by rookie defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks and Michael Sam.
Westbrooks has eight tackles and a sack in the preseason, while Sam, the first openly gay player in the NFL, has five tackles and three sacks in the preseason.
Fisher refused to say whether Westbrooks or Sam was winning that battle, and even hinted that the Rams might keep both of them.
“It’s possible we can keep 12 (defensive linemen),” Fisher said.
The Dolphins (2-1) went 8-8 last season despite being rocked by the Richie Incongnito-Jonathan Martin bullying scandal.
The Dolphins brought in former Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor to be their offensive coordinator.
The Dolphins are hoping Lazor can help quarterback Ryan Tannehill take a major step forward in his third season as the starter.
Tannehill’s development was hindered by the 58 sacks last season.
Among the Dolphins’ additions during the offseason were running back Knowshon Moreno from the Denver Broncos and cornerback Cortland Finnegan from the Rams.
Wide receiver Mike Wallace had 73 catches for 830 yards last season after signing as a free-agent from Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Dolphins have one of the better pass rushes in the NFL with defensive ends Olivier Vernon, who had 11.5 sacks last season, and Cameron Wake, who had 8.5 sacks last season after having 15 sacks two years ago, leading the way.
August 28, 2014 at 12:56 pm #5385RamBillParticipantW2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10992/w2w4-st-louis-rams-4
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins meet in Week 4 of the preseason Thursday night at Sun Life Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. Here are three things to watch for from the Rams’ end:
1. Replacing Johnson: Projected starting cornerback Trumaine Johnson was among the five Rams starters suffering injuries in the first half last week against Cleveland, and though it looked brutal when it happened, it wasn’t as bad as feared. Johnson has a sprained MCL in his knee and is expected to miss four to six weeks. That’s not good news for a young and thin cornerback group but it’s better than what was expected when he left on a cart. But now the Rams must not only figure out the remaining depth at the position, a battle that should include Marcus Roberson, Greg Reid and Darren Woodard, but also who will start opposite Johnson. They’d prefer to keep rookie Lamarcus Joyner as the primary nickelback, leaving rookie E.J. Gaines and Brandon McGee to battle for the spot. McGee has been dealing with an ankle injury and didn’t practice Tuesday, which could mean Gaines gets the first shot to step in for Johnson. Either way, it’s a good opportunity for all of the young corners to make a statement on where they belong in the pecking order.
2. Time for starters: In each of the other three preseason games, coach Jeff Fisher has been pretty open about how much playing time his starters will get in the week leading up to the game. Not this week. Fisher was noncommittal about how much work his starters will get against the Dolphins other than to say some will play more than others. With some players working back into shape off injury or battling injuries of their own, there’s a line between those that need the work and those that don’t. Expect linebacker James Laurinaitis to get some work after sitting the first three games with an ankle injury. As for quarterback Shaun Hill, Fisher wouldn’t tip his hand. But it wouldn’t surprise to see the Rams play it safe with him. Hill took plenty of reps with the first offense in the first week of preseason against New Orleans and it’s probably not worth the risk to give him more than some token snaps.
3. Sam vs. Westbrooks: It’s been one of the best battle of training camp and though there are others (potential fourth tight end, fourth running back, sixth linebacker, etc.), this is the one that has seen both players rise to the occasion again and again in the preseason. Ethan Westbrooks probably has the edge going into the game, impressing with his work in practice and games and his ability to play all over the line. But Michael Sam has been productive in games, even if practice hasn’t been as good. There’s still the outside chance the Rams could keep both but this is the last chance for both to make a strong closing statement.
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