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Rams LT Andrew Whitworth: The NFL’s best offseason addition?

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/35732/rams-lt-andrew-whitworth-the-nfls-best-offseason-addition

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Perhaps no NFL team improved at one position more than the Los Angeles Rams did at one of the game’s most important ones.

The Rams went from quite possibly the game’s worst left tackle in Greg Robinson to quite possibly the game’s best in Andrew Whitworth.

The Houston Texans have seemingly made a significant upgrade at quarterback, going from Brock Osweiler to Deshaun Watson. The same can probably be said about the New York Jets at strong safety, from Calvin Pryor to Jamal Adams. Or the Jacksonville Jaguars at defensive end, from Tyson Alualu to Calais Campbell. But it’s nearly impossible to match the Rams on Jared Goff’s blind side.

Consider: Whitworth, guaranteed $15 million at the age of 35, has allowed one quarterback pressure through this season’s first four games, according to Pro Football Focus. Last season, Robinson — the former No. 2 overall pick who was recently called “lazy” by an opponent — allowed 40 pressures in 14 starts.

You can make the case that Whitworth’s presence — more so than Goff’s turnaround, Todd Gurley’s surge, the overhaul at receiver, or even Sean McVay’s scheme — has been the main catalyst in the Rams’ offensive breakthrough.

“He’s made a huge influence and impact on our team,” McVay said. “Not only on our offense, but on our team.”

Whitworth’s presence alone has helped the Rams’ offensive line go from a major weakness to a major strength, one that has allowed only four sacks on Goff and has helped Gurley average a more respectable 4.2 yards per carry. But it isn’t just Whitworth’s play that has made an impact; it’s his ability and desire to mentor others, most notably right tackle Rob Havenstein, who did a masterful job of blocking NFL sacks leader DeMarcus Lawrence on Sunday.

Havenstein, 25, calls Whitworth “one of the best to ever do it.”

“I don’t want to downplay that at all,” Havenstein said, “but it’s definitely great to have someone to ask all those little questions to. One of the biggest things is you feel welcomed to ask him, and he feels happy to help.”

Whitworth is a captain on the Rams, even though it’s his first season with them. McVay credited Whitworth with helping him as a first-year head coach, as someone he trusts to take the pulse of the locker room. Whitworth has started 168 of a possible 180 games in his 12-year NFL career, making three trips to the Pro Bowl along the way. But he didn’t impose himself on teammates, McVay said. Whitworth let his work and his play speak for him, and he waited for others to seek him out as a byproduct of it.

“A lot of young people in today’s society believe that leadership is the loudest person in the room, or the person who’s always commanding people,” Whitworth said. “To me, that’s not leadership. That’s just a loud voice; just someone who’s assertive. There’s a difference. Leadership, to me, is about the ability to have people want to hear what you have to say. People want to be around you, people want to believe in what you tell them, and they feel good when they walk away from you about who they are and what they’re doing.”

Whitworth has studied the elite athletes from other sports, whether it’s Michael Jordan in basketball, Nolan Ryan in baseball or Wayne Gretzky in hockey. He also studied the great leaders in this country’s history, namely Martin Luther King Jr. He wanted to know what made them special; what it was that allowed them to empower others. He wanted to take a little bit from all of them.

“You learn the most by listening,” Whitworth said. “And so to me, always just listening, always just paying attention, and finding out what it is that people see in somebody like them. You find those things and you try to figure out how to fit them into who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to lead.”

Whitworth has helped Havenstein with his technique, but he has also taught the third-year pro how to break down film on a deeper level. Whitworth’s mentorship began as early as the Rams’ offseason program in the spring, but it wasn’t just with Havenstein. It was with Andrew Donnal, Darrell Williams, Jamon Brown and, before he was traded to the Detroit Lions, even Robinson himself.

Whitworth is trying to guide them the way he guided the likes of Anthony Collins and Andre Smith during his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he’s also producing on his own.

Some nuggets to help put the difference between Whitworth and Robinson in perspective, courtesy of Pro Football Focus:

Robinson has seen more penalties called on him this season (four) than Whitworth has allowed pressures (one) and penalties (one) combined.

Robinson has allowed 19 quarterback pressures on 156 pass-blocking snaps, more than Whitworth and Havenstein (12) combined on 247 pass-blocking snaps.

The entire Rams offensive line has allowed 36 total quarterback hits and quarterback hurries, and none of them have come from Whitworth.

“I still haven’t played good enough yet,” Whitworth said. “I don’t ever think a day is a perfect day. There’s always something. In my mind most of the time, a play that probably wasn’t a pressure, or didn’t look bad, I probably was pissed off about it. My mentality is always to seek perfection, and you’ll find that if you can get somewhere close to it, or in the vicinity of that, that’s good.”

Andrew Whitworth’s leadership sparks turnaround for Rams’ offensive line

Lindsey Thiry

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-rams-line-whitworth-20171006-story.html

Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth stood at his locker as reporters approached him, one after another.

When there were no reporters left, a public relations official handed Whitworth a phone. On the other end of the line, another reporter.

And finally, after practice, workouts and meetings, Whitworth connected with a final reporter as he drove his SUV away from the Rams facility in Thousand Oaks.

Whitworth laughed through a slight crackle in a bluetooth connection when asked if he’s ever been so popular with the media.

“I’ve had it happen before,” he said. “When we don’t play well.”

That’s not the case these days.

The Rams are 3-1, and in first place in the NFC West as they prepare to face the 2-2 Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at the Coliseum.

The Rams offense ranks first in points scored, averaging 35.5 per game, and fifth in yards, averaging 383.3. Quarterback Jared Goff has completed 67% of his passes, seven for touchdowns, with only one interception. And running back Todd Gurley has scored seven touchdowns, rushed for more than 100 yards in consecutive games, and ranks second in the league in total yards from scrimmage with 596.

The offensive line is getting credit.

“Can’t stress enough how important they’ve been to our success so far,” said Goff, who has only been sacked four times this season. “And how important they will be to any future success we’ll have.”

Said Gurley: “Those guys have been doing an incredible job … Just blocking, pass protecting, just opening up lanes for me … they’ve been working hard.”

Last season, the offensive line carried the burden as the team stumbled to a 4-12 finish. Goff was sacked 26 times in seven starts and Gurley was unable to gain 100 yards in a single game.

“We’ve definitely grown from last year,” right guard Jamon Brown said.

New coaches have sparked improvement, along with addition of new players and a new scheme.

“The room and the whole team in general has been more accountable,” left guard Rodger Saffold said. “Guys have really been working the technique diligently and I think, after last year, you just see guys working harder.”

Offensive line coach Aaron Kromer has provided a positive impact in meetings, particularly in film breakdown after games. Kromer critiques performances, then emphasizes how players can improve.

“He’s really good about getting us into a greater understanding of defensive schemes, defensive fronts, where guys are going and why,” right tackle Rob Havenstein said.

The Rams signed center John Sullivan, a ninth-year pro, to a free-agent contract with the hope that he would aid in the development of Goff. Quarterbacks and their centers have special relationships, and Sullivan can answer any question he has.

And Whitworth, a 35-year-old, 12th-year pro, was brought in to protect Goff’s blindside and provide leadership for a position group — and a locker room — that spent last season looking for direction.

According to coaches and teammates, Whitworth has delivered.

“He plays well himself,” Kromer said, “but he also helps the other guys just understanding the game plan and understand what they need to get done.”

Said rookie tight end Gerald Everett: “He comes in day in and day out and does his job to his fullest capability. I’m just trying to become that.”

Between plays, Whitworth approaches teammates to provide direction, tips and encouragement. Between series, he works the sideline to keep the offense loose.

“He’s given us different things to think about coming out of a series,” Brown said. “Going into the next one, he’s always got some points as a group.”

For Whitworth, it’s not about earning extra credit or praise. He wants to provide young teammates with wisdom he’s gathered through a long career, with hope it will elevate the team.

“You see guys that have been in the league for a long time and have taken that opportunity to not only make their game better but to make the people around them better,” Whitworth said. “And to help them know things that maybe you wish you had known.”

Kromer said the goal of his group was to go unnoticed.

“If they don’t know we’re out there, then we’re doing well,” he said.

And Whitworth was cautiously optimistic about the 3-1 start.

“It’s great,” he said. “It’s cool when the O-line gets the chance to get some notoriety. But the real thing is that NFL football is quick to humble you.”