Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Articles on players, 9/25: Mason, Westbrooks, Brockers
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September 25, 2014 at 1:09 am #8483
RamBillParticipantRams rookie Mason awaits chance to shine
• By Joe LyonsIf anybody can relate to Rams rookie running back Tre Mason and the slow start to his NFL career, it’s teammate Zac Stacy.
Stacy, the only player in Vanderbilt history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season twice, was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft and led the team in rushing (973 yards) and touchdowns (eight) as a rookie last year.
But the 5-foot-9, 224-pound Stacy didn’t see any real playing time until after Week 5, when he ran 14 times for 78 yards in a 34-20 win over the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars.
Through the first four games, Stacy had one 4-yard carry and was inactive twice.
“It’s frustrating, not getting to play and contribute, but it’s something a lot of guys have to deal with at this level,” said Stacy, 23. “I pretty much just played the waiting game early last year. But through that time, I kept working to get better mentally and physically. Then, when I got my opportunity, I was able to take advantage of it.”
Selected in the third round of the NFL draft in May, Mason joined the Rams heralded as an elusive back who could complement Stacy and fellow second-year pro Benny Cunningham. As a junior at Auburn University last fall, Mason was named a Heisman Trophy finalist after rushing for 1,816 yards to surpass Bo Jackson as Auburn’s single-season rushing leader. In addition, he averaged better than 26 yards per kickoff return, scored 25 touchdowns and played an integral role in the Tigers reaching the BCS title game.
After Mason’s 37-yard touchdown run put Auburn on top 31-27 with 1:19 to play, Florida State rallied to win 34-31 and capture the championship on a touchdown pass with 13 seconds left on the clock. Mason finished the game with 195 yards on 34 carries.
The 5-foot-8, 207-pound Mason led the Rams in the preseason with 124 yards rushing but was inactive in each of the team’s opening three games.
“It’s a little frustrating, sure, but God has a plan,” said Mason, who celebrated his 21st birthday in August. “He has the story written already, so I’m just going to continue to do whatever the coaches ask me to do. All I can do is make sure that I’m working hard and giving it everything I have every day in practice.”
Mason admits to being surprised when he learned he was a healthy scratch for the Rams’ season-opener against the Minnesota Vikings. When he arrived at Rams Park the next day, he made an early visit to the office of special teams coordinator John Fassel.
“I just wanted to know if I was doing something wrong and if so, what could I do to fix the problem,” Mason said following a practice later that week.
“I can understand Tre’s pain, and I’ve told him to use my experience as an example,” Stacy said. “When we talked, the one thing I told him was to keep working to get better. It’s one of those deals where you have to use the time to become a student of the game, to learn the finer points of the playbook and then try to take advantage of each and every opportunity.
“There are plenty of guys who’d love to be in our shoes right now, so you have to try and make the most of every day you’re in this league.”
Mason said that in his conversations with Stacy and other Rams’ players, the key word to their advice is patience.
“This is a process, and every time you move from one level of football to the next, there’s a period of adjustment,” he said. “You can’t pout or get down on yourself. You just have to fight through those feelings by working every day to make sure that when your name is called, you’re ready to make the most of the opportunity.”
With the Rams on a bye week — they return to action Sunday, Oct. 5 against the Eagles in Philadelphia — coach Jeff Fisher used practice time on Wednesday and Thursday this week to get some of the younger players some additional reps. In fact, Fisher mentioned Mason by name twice this week when talking about the team’s practice plans.
On Monday, the coach said, “Got to get Tre Mason involved, not only more in the offense, but also more on special teams.”
After Wednesday’s workout, Fisher said, “We’re working him in. He’s doing a nice job on special teams right now, so he’s got a pretty good feel for what we’re doing.”
The biggest adjustment for Mason, like a lot of young backs coming out of college, is pass protection. Adding to that adjustment is the fact that Mason is the product of an Auburn offense that ran the ball better than 72 percent of the time last season.
“Really, I’m trying to work and improve on everything,” he said. “My goal is to find at least one thing in my game to work and improve on in each practice.
“The only other time I experienced anything like this was my freshman year at Auburn. I didn’t play much early, but I started coming on week by week and eventually worked my way into the offensive game plan.
“God willing, I can do the same thing here.”
September 25, 2014 at 1:09 am #8438RamBillParticipantRams notes: Westbrooks getting his feet wet on defense
• By Jim ThomasEven when he was inactive for the season opener against Minnesota, undrafted rookie Ethan Westbrooks tried to make the most of the opportunity to be on an NFL sideline.
“It’s not like you’ve got your piña colada and cigar just enjoying life,” Westbrooks said. “It’s definitely still a work day.”
So he took mental reps on what was happening that day, and went over his keys from the practice week to see if they held up during the actual game.
Even if he had a piña colada and cigar working that day, he’d have had to put them down. Because of defensive end Chris Long’s foot injury, Westbrooks was fast-forwarded into the line rotation against Tampa Bay and Dallas.
“He’s averaging 15-20 plays a game, which is good,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’ll help keep Will (Hayes) fresh, and we need that.”
Westbrooks was in for 16 plays against the Cowboys and 17 in Game 2 against Tampa — roughly 30 percent of the defensive snaps in both games. He had one tackle against Tampa, and was credited with four tackles — including one for loss — against Dallas.
“He’s coming along,” Fisher said. “He’s got the versatility. We didn’t move him around inside like we did in the preseason but Mike (Waufle)’s done a good job with him.”
Waufle is the Rams’ defensive line coach. Westbrooks, a raw but talented prospect from NCAA Division II West Texas A&M, probably would’ve been on the pregame inactive list much of the 2014 season after beating out Missouri’s Michael Sam for the final spot on the 53-man roster coming out of the preseason.
But Long’s injury has accelerated the learning process.
“It’s been good; just continuing to learn new things,” Westbrooks said. “I’m getting more acclimated with the whole defense, the speed of the game. Really starting to put an emphasis on my technique from Coach Wauf and Chris. Even though he’s out, Chris has been helping me a tremendous amount in the room and on the field.”
STILL MIFFED
There was no “24-hour” rule as far as Fisher is concerned about blown calls by referee Clete Blakeman against Dallas. When asked how his team can reduce penalties, he replied: “Well, we just get them to call penalties, and not throw flags when there’s no infractions. That’ll significantly reduce it.”
BAD HISTORY
According to Dr. Richard Winer, the spotter and statistician for Rams radio broadcasts, Sunday’s 34-31 loss to Dallas matched the biggest deficit overcome by an opponent at a Rams home game in franchise history.
The Rams led 21-0 Sunday against the Cowboys. In 1982, the Los Angeles Rams led 21-0 against visiting Denver before the Broncos rallied for a 27-24 overtime victory.
The last time the Rams scored at least 31 points and lost at home was in 2007, also by a 34-31 score, against Arizona.
INJURY UPDATE
Only four players were less than full participants in Wednesday’s bye week practice. Cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson (knee) and Brandon McGee (foot) did not participate. McGee may miss a couple more weeks with his injury.
Center/guard Barrett Jones (back) did some work on the side. Wide receiver/punt returner Tavon Austin (knee) did some individual work, signaling that he possibly could be ready for Philadelphia, the Rams’ Oct. 5 opponent when they return from the bye week.
RAM-BLINGS
• Following knee surgery September 8, QB Sam Bradford was back at Rams Park on Wednesday, with no scooter or crutches — just a knee brace — and moving around pretty well.
• Houston has signed DT Ryan “Big Grease” Pickett, a first-round pick of the Rams in 2001 who spent five seasons with the Rams and then eight with Green Bay as a run-stuffer.
• LB Kevin Reddick, who spent the first two weeks of the season on the Rams’ practice squad, has been signed to San Diego’s active roster.
• Country music duo Montgomery Gentry will perform a 60-minute postgame concert for fans attending the team’s Nov. 30 contest with Oakland at the Edward Jones Dome.
September 25, 2014 at 2:23 pm #8451RamBillParticipantMorris Claiborne, Michael Brockers and the Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12075/claiborne-brockers-and-the-rams
EARTH CITY, Mo. — When news broke that Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne had been demoted from the starting lineup and subsequently departed the team’s facility in a huff, it didn’t make much of a ripple around the St. Louis Rams.
But there’s actually a deeper history involving Claiborne and the Rams than many realize. While the Rams’ 2012 draft trade with the Washington Redskins centered on the No. 2 overall pick and Robert Griffin III, it’s easy to forget about the second first-round trade the Rams made that year.
After moving down to No. 6, the Rams cut another deal as Claiborne, that draft’s consensus top corner, fell to their spot. Although the Rams had brought Claiborne to St. Louis for a visit and showed interest in him, they weren’t sold enough to make him their pick. Dallas, however, had no such qualms.
The Cowboys traded the No. 14 overall pick along with their second-round pick, No. 45 overall, to the Rams for No. 6. Dallas coveted Claiborne and the Rams decided to gamble that the object of their affection, defensive tackle Michael Brockers, would slip to them.
As it turned out, both teams got what they wanted. The Rams later traded the No. 45 overall pick to the Chicago Bears for the No. 50 pick and a fifth-round choice that they turned into running back Isaiah Pead and guard Rokevious Watkins. Neither of those choices has paid dividends for the Rams but the Bears took receiver Alshon Jeffery with the pick acquired from St. Louis.
Clearly, the move up for Claiborne hasn’t been a good decision for the Cowboys, especially considering reports they would have taken Brockers at 14 and linebacker Bobby Wagner with that second-round pick. Wagner has thus far been better than both players in his first two-plus seasons.
Brockers, meanwhile, has been a solid if unspectacular pick so far for the Rams. If nothing else, he’s a dependable starter who still boasts some upside, something that might be hard for Claiborne to claim moving forward.
Drawing the tie even closer, it’s worth noting that Claiborne’s blowup Wednesday came on the heels of a rough outing against the Rams on Sunday. He did make the game-sealing interception in the fourth quarter but that came after the Rams repeatedly targeted him for big plays. He allowed five catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns and was flagged for defensive holding in the Cowboys’ victory.
In retrospect, the Rams could have done much better with the second-round pick acquired from Dallas but the Brockers selection alone makes them clear winners in the deal.
September 25, 2014 at 5:59 pm #8463
HerzogParticipantThat trade with the bears was so stupid and meaningless…..It cost then Wagner….who Fisher really wanted
September 25, 2014 at 6:02 pm #8464
znModeratorThat trade with the bears was so stupid and meaningless…..It cost then Wagner….who Fisher really wanted
Well sometimes the b’ar eats YOU.
September 25, 2014 at 11:01 pm #8479RamBillParticipantEthan Westbrooks adjusting to expanded role
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/12091/ethan-westbrooks-adjusting-to-new-role
EARTH CITY, Mo. — As part of the St. Louis Rams’ effort to replace injured defensive end Chris Long, they’re leaning on three players to step in and fill the void.
As you’d expect, William Hayes is the starter and Eugene Sims is the primary backup. But there are still snaps to be had and undrafted rookie Ethan Westbrooks has been tasked with picking up the slack.
Westbrooks spent the first week as a pregame inactive, stuck behind the team’s eight other defensive linemen who were available against the Minnesota Vikings. But when Long suffered the ankle injury that landed him in surgery and the injured reserve with the designation to return list, the opportunity to get Westbrooks involved arose.
Against Tampa Bay in Week 2, Westbrooks got his first taste of regular-season playing time, handling 17 snaps and posting one tackle according to Rams’ coaches review. Last week, Westbrooks played 16 snaps and fared better in the coaches eyes with four tackles and a tackle for loss against Dallas.
Although Westbrooks has the versatility to play all over the line, he’s worked exclusively at Long’s spot at left defensive end so far.
“He’s averaging 15-20 plays a game which is good,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’ll help to keep Will fresh. We need that. Will played very well last weekend and part of that is because he’s fresh and that allows him to do that. He’s coming on. He’s got the versatility. We didn’t move him around inside like we did in the preseason but Mike (Waufle)’s done a good job with him.”
To this point, Westbrooks said the biggest adjustment to playing in the NFL has been playing in the bigger, more crowded stadiums. He’s also made it a point to lean on Long for advice when he needs pointers throughout the week.
“I’m getting more acclimated with the whole defense, the speed of the game,” Westbrooks said. “Really starting to put an emphasis on my technique from Coach Wauf and Chris. Even though he’s out, Chris has been helping me a tremendous amount in the room and on the field.”
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