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September 24, 2014 at 12:11 am #8392
RamBillParticipant
Plenty to do for Rams on bye week
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12046/plenty-to-do-for-rams-on-bye-week
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Having a bye week this early in the season might seem unfortunate for a St. Louis Rams team that would probably like to get right back to business after last week’s 34-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
But the bye is here and it might end up being a good thing that they have a little longer to let such a disappointing finish linger.
“Personally I hope we let it stew all week,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “We’re better than this. Why do we keep coming up short with what our potential is? That’s one of the things we’ve got to figure out this week. So I’m going to let it stew all week. We need to get better.
“I’m done with any moral victories, stuff like that. It’s about wins and losses. We’ve got to get wins. A home loss like this, I feel bad for our fans. We are going to go to work this week, I promise you that and I wish I had a special equation I could give you. But it comes down to work ethic and these guys are going to work this week.”
There is no shortage of things for the Rams to work on over the bye nor should any changes or tweaks be off limits.
On defense, the Rams must find answers for a run defense that has struggled in the first three weeks and a stagnant pass rush that hasn’t been able to bring down quarterbacks more than once.
On offense, the Rams appear to be ahead of schedule, performing better than most expected in the first three games (or at least the past two) but there’s also plenty of room for improvement. That could include finding ways to get No. 2 overall pick Greg Robinson more involved, re-integrating receiver Stedman Bailey into the mix and coach Jeff Fisher figuring out what he’s really going to do at quarterback.
“The staff is addressing in some of the things that we need to work on,” Fisher said. “Whether that’s third down or third and long defensively or the red zone stuff, or the two-minute stuff. We’re going to look at all of that. The specifics in the run game. Protections and what we’re doing defensively. And then we carry that over on to the field.”
League rules dictate that the Rams can’t practice every day during the bye and the players must get at least four days off. So the team will practice Wednesday and Thursday before returning to work next Tuesday.
Beyond the tweaks that will happen on the field, the Rams will also monitor the progress of players returning from injury. Fisher said Monday that receiver Tavon Austin (knee) and quarterback Shaun Hill (thigh) have a good chance to be at full strength after the bye. He also indicated cornerback Trumaine Johnson (knee) and offensive lineman Barrett Jones (back) are getting “closer” to a return though it seems unlikely that both will be back in short order.
It’s common practice for teams to spend bye weeks doing self-scouting and correcting. The Rams will do that, but with a different look coming their way in the form of the Eagles’ unique offense, the Rams will work some early game planning into the mix also.
“We’ll start taking a look at Philadelphia,” Fisher said. “That’s typically what you do. In addition to that we’ll get some younger guys some reps. We’ll get (QB) Case (Keenum) some reps this week in the offense. Some of the younger guys. Got to get (RB) Tre Mason involved, not only more in the offense but also more on special teams, things like that.”
September 24, 2014 at 12:11 am #8361
znModeratorFisher says a healthy Hill still the starter
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12021/fisher-says-a-healthy-hill-still-the-starter
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The question is not going to go away anytime soon and with the St. Louis Rams on bye week, it will almost certainly persist for at least the next two weeks.
But Rams coach Jeff Fisher was asked once again Monday whether Austin Davis had done enough to supplant Shaun Hill as the starting quarterback. His response was familiar.
“We’ll see how things go this week,” Fisher said. “We’ll see how Shaun is, but as I’ve maintained Shaun is our starter and Austin is our backup.”
Hill, of course, is still recovering from a thigh injury. But it’s interesting to note that Hill’s thigh was healthy enough for the Rams to keep him active as the No. 2 quarterback against the Dallas Cowboys last week. What’s more, the Rams named third quarterback Case Keenum a pregame inactive, meaning had something happened to Davis, Hill would’ve been the only option.
Fisher offered an explanation for that Monday also. Well, sort of.
“We kept him up as the two because I felt like he could finish a game out of the shotgun,” Fisher said. “But he’s not ready to go under center yet.”
With Hill as the backup, Davis again made a strong statement that he should continue to start so long as he keeps performing at a high level. He was 30-of-42 for 327 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
That performance impressed Fisher.
“I thought he had a pretty good day,” Fisher said. “Threw the ball around, moved around, avoided sacks in the pocket. I thought he played, like I said last night, good enough to win, but you got to see where you’re cutting that ball loose and he didn’t. He cut that ball loose, he got some pressure and cut it loose. Interception for a touchdown is not a good thing. It happens, but overall I thought he played a little bit better than he did last week.”
Fisher also indicated Monday that Hill is nearing a return to full health. But whether he wants to speak publicly about it or not, there is a decision that will have to be made at some point before the Rams next game against Philadelphia on Oct. 5.
Despite his insistence to the contrary, the hunch here is that Fisher will indeed take this bye week to see how Hill has progressed and consider who his starter will be moving forward. Until someone other than Davis starts for the Rams, there’s no use in getting upset over milk that hasn’t yet spilled.
September 24, 2014 at 1:30 am #8363RamBillParticipantThe Long road back
• By Jim ThomasWith most of his lower left leg in a cast following foot surgery, Rams defensive end Chris Long is getting around these days on one of those foot scooters. If he could chase a quarterback on it, he would.
Alas, that must wait until at least Nov. 9, against Arizona, the earliest he’s allowed to play since being placed on the injured reserve/designated for return list.
“The first couple days (post surgery), you’re kinda getting used to it, but you kind of turn everything into a little challenge — see what you can get done with the thing,” Long said. “It hasn’t held me back too much.”
He already has been admonished by head athletic trainer Reggie Scott for going too fast on the scooter.
What’s the recommended speed?
“Five,” Long said. “I might put a motor on it.”
Long still has about another week and a half in the cast before switching to a walking boot, then he can say goodbye to the scooter and his rehab work starts to accelerate.
Highly-respected foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson performed the surgery in Charlotte, N.C., for what was a relatively unusual injury.
“There’s two tendons that kind of run down your leg, and keep everything stable,” Long explained. “The ligaments, muscles, that hold (the tendons) down were torn so that the tendons flew out and they’re in the wrong place. So there was only one way to put it back.”
Through surgery.
Long was stepped on from behind five minutes into the Rams’ season opener, against Minnesota, while trying to shed a blocker.
As he sat on the turf of the Edward Jones Dome for a few moments after the injury, the look on his face suggested something was wrong beyond a run-of-the-mill ankle or foot injury.
“It was a feeling I hadn’t felt before,” Long said. “I’d had high ankle sprains before. Ankle sprains, or whatever. So I just wasn’t sure what it was. It was just frustrating more than anything because you know it’s probably something maybe a little serious.
“We all work so hard to get ready for that opening day. For it to happen on opening day, it was just kinda frustrating.”
Long actually tried to tape the foot and ankle and return to the game.
But that was a no-go.
“When it’s a stability issue, not a pain-tolerance issue, you don’t have a choice,” he said. “We took a shot at it, but it turned out is just wasn’t a thing you can really play with.”
The Tampa Bay game Sept. 14 marked the first time in his seven-year NFL career Long had missed a game. The Minnesota contest a week earlier marked his 97th consecutive game, at the time the second-longest ironman streak in the NFL
“So when it was evident to me that I was gonna miss some time, it really hurt,’’ he said. “You want to tear up.
“You don’t know what to expect. You’re afraid. But just leaning on these guys, and just being in here every day helped me a lot. The more I’m around the guys, I feel like I can help in some way just while I’m sitting down for a little bit here.”
Long was sitting at his stall in the locker room after practice when he spoke to a few reporters. The streak meant a lot to Long; it was something he took great pride in as the years started to pile up in his career.
“I always wanted to play my whole career without missing any time,” he said. “It sounds ridiculous, I guess. But guys like Justin Smith that had those pretty remarkable streaks, that’s always admirable. That was like a goal to me. But football, it’s tough. Sometimes you can’t control things, you can’t play through certain things, and that’s just reality.”
Former University of Missouri defensive lineman Justin Smith, now a San Francisco 49er, had a streak of 185 consecutive starts end because of an elbow injury in December of 2012.
Even while on his scooter, Long was out on the practice field last week taking mental reps in practice and attending meetings at Rams Park.
“I don’t take that for granted,” he said. “I really appreciate being able to do that right now. You’ve gotta keep things normal.”
At least as normal as possible. It has been torture for Long these past two Sundays, not being on the field with his teammates on game day. He’s usually the guy who gives the pep talk when the team huddles up en masse at the end of pregame workouts and then heads into the locker room for the last time before kickoff.
“I appreciate the opportunity to play the games anyway. It’s not like a needed a reminder,” he said.
But he’ll get a reminder of just how much he loves the game every week until at least early November.
“It’s tough to watch because I love my teammates,” Long said. “They’re like my brothers. When they’re out there, you just wanna be out there to help ‘em any way you can. But the great thing is … this D-line’s so deep and everybody’s got a group mentality. Everybody’s able to do different things to help chip in. So I don’t feel like they’re gonna miss a beat.”
Of more immediate concern to Long is keeping his sanity during his two-month hiatus from playing the game.
“First couple days I was legitimately like a crazy person,” Long said. “But I’m just trying to focus my energy on being in the game mentally. Trying to help out when I can with some of the younger guys.
“It makes you appreciate the opportunity to come to work every day, and be around these guys because it is a great family atmosphere. And I’ve leaned on it quite a bit.”
September 24, 2014 at 1:35 am #8364RamBillParticipantStrauss: Sack City has lost its luster
• Joe StraussWe’re not even to October and the Rams have taken the city and its irritable fan base on a roundabout trek from the Absurd to the Inspirational to downright Confounding.
Surprising as it is that former third-string quarterback Austin Davis is averaging more than 150 yards passing per half, it’s even more jarring that a defensive front seven that includes first-round draftees Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald and Alec Ogletree in addition to second-rounder James Laurinaitis so far has offered the consistency of tapioca pudding against the run.
The Rams also supplemented their prodigious on-field talent by importing transformative defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, a wizard whose effective blitz-intensive schemes outweighed his controversial recent history as Gregg the Bounty Hunter.
Coming off a week in which 31 points weren’t enough to win, the Rams are surrendering about the same yardage per game as during their 7-9 team of 2013. The manner is what’s feeding the madness.
Right now the Rams’ porous run defense is something only fantasy football geeks can love. In three weeks they’ve permitted Cordarrelle Patterson, Bobby Rainey and DeMarco Murray to go for triple-digit rushing yards.
Patterson is a receiver who got there on three attempts, Rainey an undrafted free agent playing in place of injured Doug Martin, and Murray a constant stick in the eye “limited” to 100 yards during the Rams’ 34-31 loss Sunday to Dallas.
“We’ve got to get better against the run. We’re inconsistent,” coach Jeff Fisher responded Monday when asked if he is concerned about this defense.
The coaching phrase is “clean it up.”
Fisher suggested his defense could improve “significantly” on third down and cited the inability to create turnovers so far. (Only four teams carry a worse turnover margin than the Rams’ minus-2.)
So-called “Sack City” has resembled a shanty town to date.
Fisher conceded that pressure has yet to translate into quarterback takedowns but suggested teams are counteracting a legitimate pass rush by unloading the ball quickly. It does not explain why the Rams could be frequently found Sunday employing a three-man front on passing downs. Even missing injured defensive end Chris Long, the defensive front represents the team’s deepest, most effective area.
Fisher described his team as “playing hard. They’re playing physical, and they’re mad. And that’s good.”
Well, agitation is appropriate when your only win remains against an 0-3 Tampa Bay team that trailed 17-0 against the Carolina Panthers and a backup quarterback in its season opener and 56-0 last Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Buccaneers led the Rams into the game’s final minute and played them to a statistical draw.
In three weeks the Rams have allowed nine first downs by penalty, including four last weekend. Fisher made a compelling case that the zebras jobbed his defense on several calls Sunday, including two pressures against quarterback Tony Romo. Defensive end Eugene Sims was on the wrong end of two questionable calls, coincidentally a week after twice being flagged for personal fouls in Tampa.
Trash-talking is entrenched in the game. Sometimes it gets your mug on television. Maybe it even creates an edge. Doing so following a 15-yard pass play seems a bit of a stretch, though. One is entitled to wonder if all the yapping and absurd penalties the last two years have fed a reputation that conspires against a team with little margin for error.
The Rams did much to win Sunday’s game, starting with a 448-340 edge in total yards. But as Post-Dispatch football scribe Jim Thomas researched on Monday, the largest disparity in penalty yardage since the franchise’s move to St. Louis negated the advantage.
Fisher can rage against the machine. Former chairman and current member of the NFL’s competition committee, he carries requisite credentials to cite chapter and verse, nuts and bolts about officiating. But before running to the grassy knoll to partly explain Sunday’s implosion, addressing a blown third-quarter coverage against wideout Dez Bryant and an inability to contain Romo might bring more future benefit.
More than Sam Bradford’s return, more than the progression of a young receiving corps, the Rams based optimism for this season on their defensive front seven and Williams’ hire.
Conventional wisdom held that last season’s solid defense could evolve into something elite, the Rams could employ a ground-and-pound offense and their made-for-NFC-West style would translate universally.
After three weeks, up remains down and down is up.
Practice resumes at Rams Park with the Arizona Cardinals (71.7), Seattle Seahawks (72.3) and San Francisco 49ers (85.7) all among the league’s top seven rush defenses based on yards per game. The Rams (155.0) rank 29th, besting only Green Bay, Oakland and Jacksonville.
Yes, the Rams also ranked fourth in run defense within the division last season; however, their 102.9 rushing yards allowed per game stood ninth league-wide.
The Rams badly shanked their shot to reach this week’s bye with a winning record.
Now they can look forward to facing seven playoff teams in the next eight games.
The exception is Arizona, the conference’s only remaining undefeated team.
Recent organizational history bred all sorts of intrigue around its offensive coordinators. Bradford allegedly suffered from the even-changing philosophies. Yet changes on the defensive side have provided for similar drama, whether it be the firing of Williams’ son following the 2012 season, the abortive hiring of Rob Ryan, the audible to overmatched Tim Walton or the move to the elder Williams.
Are we to believe defensive end Chris Long’s opening-day ankle injury has proved this disruptive? Is Williams’ scheme proving difficult to digest? Does his philosophy fit his personnel? Three weeks might be insufficient to provide answers but it’s plenty long enough to sprout questions.
September 24, 2014 at 1:54 pm #8399RamBillParticipantESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner talks about the Rams figuring out how to stop the run, the team’s lack of a pass rush and the quarterback situation. (1:07)
http://www.rams-news.com/wagoner-rams-have-issues-heading-into-bye-week-video/
September 24, 2014 at 2:00 pm #8400RamBillParticipantLong looks to speed on road to recovery
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12055/long-looks-to-speed-on-road-to-recovery
EARTH CITY, Mo. — With no other means of transportation these days, St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long is making the most of his aqua colored “knee scooter.”
In searching for the exact name of the device, a website called goodbyecrutches.com touts that the scooter won’t “let an injury slow you down.” As Long has begun traveling the road to recovery from a left ankle injury that currently has him in a large cast in which he can’t bear any weight, there has been no slowing down at all.
In fact, head athletic trainer Reggie Scott has considered posting speed limit signs around Rams Park or installing a governor on the scooter to keep Long from rolling around too fast.
“Without this scooter, I’m lost,” Long said. “I’m pretty good. They say I drive too fast on it actually. Reggie says I’m testing the limits on this thing. I might put a motor on it.”
Now if only Long can get back on the football field with the same expedience. Long suffered the injury early in the Rams’ home opener when a teammate rolled up on to the back of his ankle as he tried to get off a block.
As soon as Long went down, he knew something was wrong. He’d played through ankle sprains in the past, even the more painful high ankle sprains, and something immediately felt amiss. He went to the sideline and asked to have the ankle taped up so he could return to the field. Those attempts were unsuccessful and Long knew his streak of 97 consecutive games to open his career was in jeopardy.
It wasn’t until further examination that Long found out just how unique his injury was.
“There’s two tendons that kind of run down your leg and keep everything stable and the ligaments and muscles that hold it down were torn so the tendons fly out and they’re in the wrong place,” Long said. “So there’s only one way to put it back.”
In other words, it wasn’t a matter of pain tolerance so much as stability. Long paid a visit to foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte to have it repaired. As it stands, Long is still in the cast and will have to continue to use the scooter for another week to 10 days. After that, he’ll be able to switch to a walking boot and that’s when the more strenuous rehabilitation can begin. He’ll then spend a couple of weeks in the walking boot but once it comes off, he can begin heading toward a return.
It’s a return that wouldn’t have been possible when Long entered the league in 2008. Since, the league has added a spot for injured reserve with a designation to return. That’s where Long finds himself, in position where the earliest he could come back is the Nov. 9 game against Arizona.
Long will miss at least five more games before he can begin a new streak of games played. That he has to start over is one of the most painful parts of the injury for Long, who took great pride in his durability.
“That meant a lot to me,” Long said. “I always wanted to play my whole career without missing any time and it sounded ridiculous but guys like Justin Smith that have had those really remarkable streaks, that’s pretty admirable so it was like a goal to me. But football is tough, sometimes you can’t control things, you can’t play through certain things and that’s just the reality of it.”
Smith had a streak of 185 consecutive games before a 2012 elbow injury. Of course, the lost streak pales in comparison to not being on the field with his teammates.
“Being a part of the team means so much to me and I’ve never experienced being a part of the team without being out there physically,” Long said. “When it was evident to me that I was going to miss some time, it really hurt. You want to tear up. It just means a lot to you.”
The notoriously mischievous Long struggled to settle in immediately after the surgery but has found a groove lately.
Long plans to continue to be around the team as much as possible and attend meetings with the defense. When he’s not doing that, he’ll be dedicating plenty of time to preparing for the team’s NBA fantasy draft, a league that boasts high stakes, none higher than the ultimate in locker room bragging rights and a trophy taller than some of the players.
“First couple of days, I was legitimately like a crazy person but I was trying to focus my energy on just being in the game mentally, trying to help out when I can with some of the younger guys,” Long said. “It just makes you appreciate the opportunity to come to work every day and be around these guys. It really is a great family atmosphere and I’ve leaned on it quite a bit.”
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