http://www.rams-news.com/case-keenum-joins-rams-quarterback-carousel-pd/%5D Case Keenum Joins Rams’ Quarterback Carousel –PD
In effect, the Rams gave quarterback Case Keenum a chance to play 10½ months ago in Houston when they knocked starter Matt Schaub out of the game because of an ankle injury.

http://www.rams-news.com/burwell-fear-of-distraction-might-slow-sams-search-for-a-new-nfl-home/%5D Burwell: Fear of Distraction Might Slow Sam’s Search for a New NFL Home
From the moment he embarked on his National Football League journey, the one thing Michael Sam desperately wanted to be was a football player. But today, just two days from the start of the NFL regular season, the former Mizzou star is without a job.

http://www.rams-news.com/youth-remains-abundant-on-rams-roster-simmons/%5D Youth Remains Abundant on Rams Roster –Simmons
As has been the case for the past couple of seasons, the Rams will enter 2014 with one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. But don’t let that moniker fool you — this team also has a wealth of experience to draw upon for the upcoming season.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-roster-breakdown-defense-wagoner/%5DRams Roster Breakdown: Defense –Wagoner
The St. Louis Rams have their initial 53-man roster in place, and they are now in full preparation mode for Sunday’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

http://www.rams-news.com/keenum-a-solid-choice-for-patient-rams-wagoner/%5D Keenum a Solid Choice For Patient Rams –Wagoner
It took all of about an hour for the rumors and speculation to run rampant after St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford’s season-ending knee injury became official on Aug. 24.

http://www.rams-news.com/updated-rams-claim-qb-keenum-off-waivers-from-houston-pd/%5D Updated: Rams Claim QB Keenum Off Waivers from Houston –PD
The Rams have claimed quarterback Case Keenum off waivers from the Houston Texans.

http://www.rams-news.com/case-keenum-quickly-snatched-up-by-the-rams-proving-his-doubters-wrong-again/%5D Case Keenum Quickly Snatched up by the Rams, Proving his Doubters Wrong Again
One day after getting released by the Houston Texans in favor of Bill Belichick reject Ryan Mallett, Case Keenum’s found a new NFL team. The quarterback-needy St. Louis Rams picked up the former University of Houston record breaker off waivers on Monday.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-announce-practice-squad/%5D Rams Announce Practice Squad

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-roster-breakdown-offense-wagoner/%5D Rams Roster Breakdown: Offense –Wagoner
The St. Louis Rams have their initial 53-man roster in place and they are now in full preparation mode for Sunday’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

http://www.rams-news.com/a-look-at-the-rams-roster-makeup-wagoner/%5D A Look at the Rams’ Roster Makeup –Wagoner
St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher was very open about the possibility of the 2014 roster taking on a different look than it has in his first two years in St. Louis.

http://www.rams-news.com/morning-ram-blings-sam-awaits-next-move-wagoner/%5D Morning Ram-blings: Sam Awaits Next Move –Wagoner
Former St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam cleared waivers Sunday and is now free to sign with any team or its practice squad.

http://www.rams-news.com/mel-kipers-2015-big-board-video/%5D Johnny Hekker One-on-One with Chris Long –Video

http://www.rams-news.com/mel-kipers-2015-big-board-video/%5D Mel Kiper’s 2015 Big Board –Video

http://www.rams-news.com/kevin-demoff-rams-update-radio-interview/%5D Kevin Demoff Rams Update –Radio Interview

The Emotional Injury of Bradford’s Torn ACL
From Stats Doctor

http://www.101sports.com/2014/08/28/time-knee-jerk-response/

For many, the second torn ACL for Sam Bradford will have a great impact on how they will look at the season in terms of wins and losses. Let me focus more on the tremendous sense of loss.

Although I am in the business of trying to help people through difficult times, goodness knows I hear stories almost daily that leave me wondering how I can possibly be helpful. People describe incredibly difficult situations that leave me thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” After what we witnessed Saturday night and then heard about Sunday, I could only imagine what Bradford was going through. But, let’s not forget that this happens all too commonly in football. In the first two preseason games alone, Isaiah Pead and Mason Brodine went down with season-ending knee injuries as well.

In the NFL, it has been said the initials also stand for “Not For Long.” The clock is always ticking on a player’s football life expectancy that, on average, is about two-and-a-half years. You don’t get those years back and, for that matter, there is no guarantee that you get back so much as one more day. These are really young people, almost kids, and that is easy to forget. Most professional athletes are done with their playing careers by the time they are 30 years old, and then they have to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives.

I see plenty of patients who are dealing with the loss of a job or a career. But, most of them are at least twice as old as these athletes.

Football is one of the sports where we, the spectators, don’t really see the faces behind the face mask and helmets while they compete. Sure, we see them on the sidelines, in interviews and on commercials sans helmets. We see what they are doing on the field of play, but we don’t see what they are feeling. It is easy to think of a player as being more robotic and mechanical than human, like they were figments of our video game imagination. Arguably, the best wide receiver in the game carries the nickname “Megatron.” One of the bright young quarterbacks in the league is referred to as “Superman.” Even one of the top career rushers was known as “The Bus.”

Yet, in an instant, a player’s future both literally and figuratively can change and affect the rest of that player’s life. And that instant can impact the lives of so many, be they players and coaches, family or friends. Similarly, I am often struck by the preparation Olympic athletes endure over years to hopefully qualify and then participate in the Olympics that occur only every four years. Then you hear the stories of the last-second injury, the missed bus to go to the venue, the disqualification for a false start (no five-yard penalty there) or the athlete who is eliminated from competition in just seconds. It’s sad. It’s heartbreaking. It’s life.

Football is, pure and simple, a collision sport. Every play involves collisions that are akin to a car wreck at, let’s say, 35 miles per hour. When you add up the 1,982 plays from scrimmage, the 152 punts, the 155 kickoffs and the 228 accepted penalties (OK, I had to throw in some statistical information and, yes, some of the penalties were tacked on the end of plays) from the 2013 season, you basically have an average of roughly 155 plays per game that lead to a multitude of car wrecks every play. Years ago, I worked at a few games (most notably the “Music City Miracle”) helping the sideline reporter. It was amazing to hear the sound of what seemed like a stampede of horses and to feel the earth trembling as a sweep was headed in my general direction. Just think: That happens every single play.

Yes, injuries are a part of the game, and steps are being taken to try to lessen the number and severity of physical injuries. I, for one, hope that the emotional injuries are given equal attention. During the broadcasts of Rams football, I sit between two gentlemen who played the game and certainly endured physical injuries – and Steve and D’Marco seem to still love the game. It’s a tough sport.

The psychiatrist in me really feels for any athlete whose dreams are threatened by the real sense of loss that comes with any injury. Hopefully, each injured player will pace himself in dealing with both the physical and emotional pain that is and will be there. The fan in me will be rooting for Sam Bradford and all of the injured to make a full recovery so that they can try once again to pass, run, catch and simply pursue their dreams.

In the news recap post there’s a link to an article by Bernie (link). I know many of you have problems with Bernie, but I think he often makes sense.

In this case, I think he makes a lot of sense:

Bernie: A 4-12 season by the Rams in 2014 could all but kill off the remaining fan interest. I’m probably guilty of overstating that; of course the diehards will continue to support the Rams. But of this I’m certain: Another bad season won’t grow fan interest in Kroenke’s business.

I mean, I dunno from LA. Who knows what to think of a 30 year old stadium morass?

What I do think we know is that the Rams’ place in StL is precarious. Let’s review: they move to StL and suck for years. Then they catch lightning in a bottle and win a title … after which they go back in the tank for record-setting years of futility.

I don’t know that the Rams have ever established a firm fan base to the degree necessary to survive a long, long string of failure. I also suspect that the fan base in the town is not strong enough to hang onto the team if Kroenke goes looking for higher franchise value. I mean, they are valued lowest of all NFL franchises. And I don’t see how the stadium issue in StL gets resolved without firm and unwavering fan support.

That’s why I have said before that this is a crucial year for the franchise. It’s Year 3, and that doesn’t just mean die hards like us being impatient. I really sense that the foundation on which the franchise is based in StL will seriously crumble if they are once again playing meaningless games in November, let alone December.

I mean, think about it. With Bradford hurt again, what is the ticket demand going to be for home games from fans disillusioned by years of frustration? Who is going to care about the rest of the season if they go, say 3-6? Who is going to have any faith in later seasons when, suddenly, after having a franchise QB we look at long term uncertainty at that position? I foresee lots of opposition fans buying up unwanted seats for Ram games.

This is Year 3 of a regime that promised a way out of the wilderness. But it’s also Year 25 or whatever the number is (I’m horrible at numbers) of Ram futility, and the buzz of the GSOT has long dwindled to nothing. The roots in the StL fan base just aren’t deep enough to survive yet another reset.

I have believed all along that we needed a winning year THIS YEAR to stabilize the franchise. Now, there’s good reason to think that won’t happen. Good enough reason to drive StL fans further away, at any rate.

I’m not offering despair here. The franchise MIGHT survive in the city. And I do see possibilities with this year’s team, though I am nowhere near as optimistic as Mac and others.

But I’ll tell you what. They better win AT LEAST the 1st 2 home games. They have to prove to StL fans right away that there is reason to hope. They cannot afford to restart the season after 4 bad games as they did last year.

This is the year. A great deal is riding on this team producing THIS YEAR. And the toughness of the division or the injured QB ain’t going to cut it as excuses.

Another losing season may or may not mean that Fish is fired. But it is going to be a gawdawful blow to the franchise. I find it hard to see it surviving in StL.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1124694/how-experimental-knee-surgery-got-kaya-turski-ready-for-the-olympics/

How experimental knee surgery got Kaya Turski ready for the Olympics
By Carmen Chai Global News

(Note: I dunno how to embed flash videos, so please visit the link. The videos are very cool and add to the article – Mack)

Watch the video above: Canadian Freestyle skier Kaya Turski’s comeback helped by experimental surgery. Crystal Goomansingh reports.

TORONTO – It happened on her last day of training with the Canadian ski team in Mount Hood.

Olympic athlete Kaya Turski was working on a switch left side rotation, a spin that isn’t a natural move for her. She came around the turn just a little short and felt a snap.

She knew right away what it was – she’d ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament, a bundle of fibres crucial in stabilizing the knee, twice before.

That was August 11. The Montreal native was just six months away from the Olympics.

“A zillion things went through my mind when I fell and I felt my knee go. You know, obviously the Olympics was the first thing that came up,” Turski told Global News.

“It’s something I have been training for for as long as the event has been included, basically my whole life​.”

READ MORE: Canada’s athletes in Sochi: Meet skier Kaya Turski

WATCH: Kaya Turski talks about being ready to compete in Sochi and the journey back from injury

​Fast forward to just a week before the Olympics: Turski captured her fifth Winter X Games gold medal in women’s ski slopestyle.

But her road to recovery came with the help of a Canadian doctor and an experimental knee surgery combining a cadaver’s ligaments and synthetic ones.​

“The challenge is, it’s not her first time. So the decision-making is quite a bit different than someone who’s already had the surgery,” Dr. Bob Litchfield said.

He’s the medical director of the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic and a professor at the University of Western Ontario. It was his skilled hands that oversaw Turski’s surgery and recovery.

In Turski’s case, Litchfield had to take into account the hardware that’s already in her knee, tunnels already drilled through bone from her previous injuries.

WATCH: Kaya’s video diary from the day she discovered injury through surgery and recovery to her return to the slopes

READ MORE: Despite injuries, Canada’s extreme athletes have high hopes for Sochi Olympics

With a countdown to the Winter Games looming, Turski and Litchfield also didn’t have time on their side.

Ultimately, Litchfield decided that he could put new soft tissue grafts in her knee, supplemented by a synthetic ligament. The grafts, which are tissue that replicates the function of the ACL, were used from donor cadavers.

The anterior cruciate ligament joins the tibia through to the femur. It’s important in stabilizing – especially with a stop-and-go sport. It controls when you plant your foot, change directions, turn on a ski and land from a jump.

Those are all stressors on the ACL. And sometimes, like in Turski’s case, the load is too great.

Between the cadaver’s​ tissue and the synthetic ligament, Litchfield said he hopes the knee surgery will give Turski immediate stability and that over time, the graft will​ grow into her own bone.

READ MORE: Canadian skier earns Olympic berth the hard way

“We didn’t want to go through a short-term solution for Kaya. She’s still a very young person,” Litchfield said.

“I sure hope it’s the last surgery she has on this knee. That’s the plan,​ anyway.”

WATCH: Dr. Litchfield talks about Kaya’s revolutionary surgery

ACL reconstructions and revisions of ACL reconstructions are pretty common, especially in young professional athletes. Revision rates can reach as high as 20 per cent for reconstruction, Litchfield said.

“The difference with this surgery was, most of the time we’re using tissue alone and in Kaya’s case, we’ve incorporated tissue with synthetic together with the goal of trying to get her back to high-level performance earlier,” Litchfield said.

“In that way, it is unusual and I guess experimental,​ if you will.”

READ MORE: Canada’s Turski wins slopestyle gold at freestyle worlds, Howell wins silver

It’s unclear how the synthetic will hold up, especially with Turski’s slope-style skiing.

​She’s constantly coming from height, accelerating, slowing down and landing jumps, akin to a gymnast doing aerials and multiple back flips.

Litchfield said he’ll be watching Turski like a “nervous father.”

“We learn a lot from elite athletes. We learn what is capable of the human body that we didn’t think was capable,” Litchfield said.

For now, he wouldn’t recommend this kind of surgery to a larger group of patients. But that could change.

“Surgery’s always evolving. We’re always looking at new techniques and better ways of doing things and better ways of decreasing failure rates and re-injury rates so it has to stand up to scientific scrutiny,” Litchfield said.

WATCH: Back to school for cross country ski team

In the meantime, Turski said she’s “feeling good.” She returned to skiing in early December.

“The first run was obviously something I just needed to get it over with. It was nerve-wracking but as soon as I clicked in and started taking my first turns, everything just made sense and I feel really good,” Turski said.

Some days come with some aches and soreness but she has a full-time physical therapist on hand to help work out the kinks.

She’s also taking on maintenance workouts, cycling, and ice baths to keep her knee in check for the Olympics.

“I’m just excited to stare at the course, look down at my feet, pinch myself, realize I’m actually there. Look at my coach, look at my teammates…and let it be go time,” Turski said.

“I made it here against all odds,​ really.”

carmen.chai@globalnews.ca

• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Mackeyser.
• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Mackeyser.

Hill’s moment is at hand
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/hill-s-moment-is-at-hand/article_fb713947-68f3-54f8-a6d7-daf298c80635.html

Whether it was tongue-in-cheek or an innocent remark, Jeff Fisher elicited chuckles from reporters and brought back memories of the glory days when he said Sunday: “This team’s gonna rally around Shaun and we’re gonna go play,” Fisher said.

You know, just like Dick Vermeil and you-know-who back in 1999. Obviously, no one expects Shaun Hill to be the next Kurt Warner. And it’s unfair to Hill to even suggest that.

But in the interest of due diligence, the question had to be asked Monday when Hill met with reporters for the first time as the Rams’ starting quarterback.

Shaun, have you ever worked in a grocery store?

“No,” Hill said, taking the bait. “The closest was a fireworks stand in the

summertime. We would start out the year and we would package and ship for Jake’s

Fireworks in Pittsburg, Kansas. And then as soon as the store was able to open we’d go and run the store for a few weeks.”

OK, not exactly like stocking grocery shelves at the Hy-Vee, but it’s a start.

Which is what Hill, a native of Parsons, Kan., will be doing in the Rams’ Sept. 7 season opener against Minnesota — starting at quarterback against the Vikings.

One of the biggest media crowds of the preseason was in attendance Monday as the practice week started, wondering how the Rams would survive life without Sam Bradford and if Hill could cut it as Bradford’s replacement.

“He actually completed some passes today,” Fisher deadpanned. “And he actually knows where to go with the football, believe it or not. He’s fine. He’s a competitor, and knows what he’s doing. He’s going to make every opportunity count.”

Hill isn’t promising to deliver fireworks — that’s no longer his job. But after throwing only 16 passes over the past three seasons (as a Detroit Lion), he is ready for the opportunity.

“Definitely,” Hill said. “Obviously you feel terrible for Sam. Getting to know him here, I was really looking forward to seeing him play this year. He was going to light it up.

“But the nature of the business is next guy up — that’s me. There’s a lot of excitement, getting amped up, and ready to go for this one.”

Hill learned that Bradford’s knee injury was season-ending just like everyone else — at a team meeting Sunday. He has since talked to Bradford to offer words of encouragement.

“Like I said, I feel bad for the guy,” Hill said. “He’s gonna come back better from it, though, for sure. I guarantee it.”

Known throughout his career as a stickler for preparation, Hill said he had a good grasp of the offense by the end of OTAs, conquering the whole learning-a-new-language thing. Once training camp started he was able to hit the ground running and learn the nuances and details of the system.

“I’ve always gone into every week, even as a backup, as if I was gonna play,” Hill said. “That’s the only way I knew how to prepare. That’s the only way I knew how to do it.

“So to be honest with you, my mindset’s the same as it’s been every week. And I think throughout the length of my career, having that mindset every week has helped me to this moment. So that it’s not anything new. I don’t have to do anything different.”

Through 12 NFL seasons Hill, 34, has played in only 34 games, with 26 regular-season starts. Even with that lack of playing time, he has been an opening-day starter before, in 2009 for San Francisco.

Not that you’d expect the Rams to say we’re doomed, but Hill seems to have the full confidence of his teammates.

“Shaun Hill has everything it takes to take us to the playoffs this year,” wide receiver Chris Givens said. “He’s a leader. He demands respect in the huddle. He’s always making good decisions, and he’s a good vet guy to learn from.”

And one more from wide receiver Tavon Austin: “He’s a smart quarterback. He knows the system. He’s been around this league a while. There’s nothing he can’t handle.”

Hill said he’s had enough time on the practice field with the wideouts to develop a good rapport with the group. Keep in mind, he got plenty of reps with the starters during the June OTA period when Bradford’s practice time was limited.

“I feel comfortable with all of them,” Hill said.

The book on Hill says he is more accurate and throws a better deep ball than last year’s backup, Kellen Clemens. The fact that he has been at this a long time — the Rams were coming off a Super Bowl season when he entered the league in 2002 — should help when it comes to game-planning every week.

“I think that’s kinda where that experience and that edge will take over,” Hill said.

Fisher has done everything possible to give Hill a solid foundation, as well as send a message to the team, by reiterating to anyone who will listen that Hill is his guy and dismissing any trade speculation. You never say never in this business, but the Rams are not knocking on doors. There is a difference.

“We’ve not had discussions with anybody,” Fisher said again Monday. “Again, we’re gonna be patient with this.”

It’s possible some quarterback may be released in the next several days who interests the Rams. A trade partner may develop at some point. Who knows?

“But we’re not initiating anything right now,” Fisher said.

Fisher later added: “I think it’s important that once you make a change, for whatever reason, you stick with it. And we’re sticking with this, there’s no doubt about that.

“That allows everybody to get comfortable and have confidence in who’s under center as opposed to: ‘Well, what are we gonna do this week?’ He’s our guy, and we’re going to move forward.”
ABOUT SHAUN HILL

Ht.: 6-3

Wt: 220

Age: 34

Years pro: 13

BY THE NUMBERS

Games/Att/Cmp/Pct/TDs/INTs/QB Rate

34/954/591/61.9/41/23/85.9

Note: Backup quarterback Austin Davis is a second-year pro that has yet to throw a regular-season pass in the NFL.

• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by zn.
• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by zn.

Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – August 25, 2014

(On if the heat brought the team indoors)
“We got back late, so yesterday was kind of a recovery day. Just wanted to give them a chance to recover. We’ll go back out tomorrow and of course we’re expecting some warm weather down in Miami, but this made sense for the guys. ”

(On if he spoke to QB Shaun Hill about his new role)
“That’s coming. Obviously, we had a little visit and he’s excited. Like I’ve said since yesterday, he’s disappointed for Sam (Bradford). That’s where his heart’s at right now because he knows how hard he worked, but in this business you move on, so he’s ready to go. He’s excited about his opportunity.”

(On how Hill practiced today)
“He was fine. He actually completed some passes today. He was fine and he actually knows where to go with the football believe it or not. He’s fine, he’s a competitor and knows what he’s doing. He’s going to make every opportunity count.”

(On if he is going to make offensive adjustments)
“No change whatsoever. Nothing, no changes. He fits right in, no changes whatsoever. We’ll be able to game plan on a weekly basis as if Sam were still here.”

(On the mood of the team after finding out about Bradford’s injury)
“Yesterday was difficult. They all care for Sam but they understand we have work to do. We have things we have to get done this week, on a short week and so they were working really good today.”

(On his response to trade speculations)
“You know what I like is, ‘According to sources close to the situation, we’re da da da da da….’ I love that okay. So no, we have not had any conversations with anybody. It’s the old source deal, you can just throw that out there. There’s a lot of players out there that are under contract and so you can’t discuss those things. But we’ve not had any discussions with anybody. Again, we’re going to be patient with this. There’s probably a couple quarterbacks let go at 75. There will probably be some let go at the 53 and like I said, there may be somebody, a club, we may have a trade partner out there. We don’t know. but we’re not initiating anything right now.”

(On Hill’s personality)
“He’s got a great since of humor. He’s outstanding in the huddle as you would expect a veteran to be so. It’s not just a play call, it’s the reminders in the huddle for breaks and reminders on the way to the line of scrimmage for the guys. And that’s important when you have a young team. But off the field, in meeting rooms, he’s just a normal guy. Very competitive though.”

(On if he and Hill have fished together)
“We’ve not fished together yet. No, we haven’t.”

(On the keys to keeping the team together after a quarterback change)
“Well, I think it’s important that once you make a change, for whatever reason, you stick with it and we’re sticking with this. There’s no doubt about that. That allows everybody to get comfortable and have confidence in who’s under center as opposed to, ‘Well, what are we going to do this week?’ So there’s no doubt that he’s our guy and we’re going to move forward. And again you have those discussions with the team and the defense will rally together and say, ‘Hey, we may have to win this week on defense,’ if we’re a playing very, very good opponent. But, the rest of the team just kind of picks itself up and goes on.”

(On when it comes the time to evaluate the quarterbacks)
“I don’t really like to deal with hypotheticals, but had Shaun not been here and we had an issue, we very well could have brought some guys in and see whose got a better feel for us under center and then go and name a starter, but we’ve already got a starter. He was clearly our two. He steps up and goes, and so anything that happens beyond that I can’t comment because we’ve really not done anything.”

(On if QB Austin Davis is up to the challenge of being the No. 2 quarterback)
“Yeah, you’re going to see him play. You’re going to get to see him play Thursday night. He played well in the game against a lot of their starters and so he made plays. He’s got a good feel, he’s got a good feel for what we’re doing. As I mentioned, (Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s) ‘Schotty’s’ very much at ease calling plays for him because he understands the offense.”

(On Davis’ improvement this offseason)
“Well it’s been hard on him and the others because of what they’re seeing from the defense in camp. That has helped him as you move into the games. (Defensive Coordinator) Gregg’s (Williams) going to throw everything at him and it’s very competitive and it’s difficult. But that makes it easier for him as you get into the regular season. The game slows down when you’re seeing so much happen at practice. It slows down and it’s slowing down for Austin.”

Rams QB Shaun Hill – August 25, 2014

(On if he’s ready to be the Rams’ starter)
“Yeah, definitely. Obviously I feel terrible for Sam (Bradford). Getting to know him here, I was really looking forward to seeing him play this year. He was going to light it up. But, the nature of the business, next guy up and that’s me. A lot of excitement getting cranked up and ready to go for this one.”

(On how he learned that Bradford’s injury was season ending and if he’s talked to Bradford)
“Yeah, I talked to Sam. Like I said, I feel bad for the guy. He’s going to come back better from it though, for sure. I guarantee it. How did I learn about it? The same time everybody else did on the team, in the team meeting yesterday.”

(On if the Rams’ offense is similar to any other system he’s previously played in)
“Yeah, it’s like learning a new language, just calling the plays and getting the picture of what that play is. From there, once you learn that new language, then you learn the nuances of it. It’s been a good process. We’ve put in a ton of work in the offseason, in OTAs and then I was able to come in and hit the ground running for training camp. That’s when we personally started working on the nuances of the offense and learning all the details of it. It’s been good. It’s been a good process.”

(On if his history with QB Coach Frank Cignetti has been beneficial in his acclimation to the offense)
“Yeah, especially early because we’ve been together before so we were able to speak the same language as he was teaching me some of the concepts. So, yeah that did help, especially early.”

(On fans comparing the current situation to that of the 1999 Rams with Kurt Warner replacing Trent Green)
“I didn’t realize they were making that comparison. This is a totally different situation. This is the 2014 Rams team. We’re going to go out and our attitude and our focus hasn’t changed.”

(On if he ever worked in a grocery store like Warner did)
“No, the closest was a fireworks stand or lot in the summer times. Fireworks stand, lawn mower, things like that.”

(On what he did at the fireworks stand)
“Well, we would start off the year, we would package and ship for Jake’s Fireworks in Pittsburg, Kansas. Then as soon as the store was able to open, we’d go and run the store for a few weeks.”

(On if Jake’s is still open)
“Yeah, Jake’s is a big company, now. You’ll have to look it up. They might do the Cardinals’ fireworks. Who knows?”

(On if he’s ever been a starter going into the opening week of the season)
“Yes.”

(On how the mindset of a starter is different than that of a backup)
“To be honest with you, I’ve always gone into every week, even as a backup, as if I was going to play. That’s the only way I knew how to prepare. That’s the only way I knew how to do it. So to be honest with you, my mindset is the same as it’s been every week. I think throughout the length of my career, having that mindset every week has helped me for this moment so it’s not anything new. I don’t have to do anything different.”

(On what season he was the opening day starter)
“It was 2009, San Francisco.”

(On what makes him confident that the Rams can be successful this season)
“We’ve got a very talented group and a great coaching staff. All the pieces are in place.”

(On his chemistry with the receivers)
“This preseason has been great. I’ve been able to work with all those guys so I’ve definitely been able to build a rapport with those guys and will continue to do so. I feel comfortable with all of them.”

(On how his long stretches as a backup have prepared him for this opportunity)
“It definitely did. Life of a backup, you might not go in for a few years but you have to stay ready. At the same time, it kind of feeds your fire. It makes you want to get back out there, and when the chance comes, you’re excited and you’re ready for it.”

(On the possibility of the Rams adding another quarterback to the roster)
“That’s always a possibility no matter what. That’s never been an issue, not something I’ll look into or read into. There’s nothing to even think about. All I can control is all I can control and go out and play my best.”

(On how it makes him feel that Head Coach Jeff Fisher emphatically says that Hill is ‘his guy’)
“It feels good to have his confidence and the team’s confidence. They’ve rallied around me and it’s been good.”

(On the response he’s received from the rest of the team)
“It’s been very supportive. Everybody’s heart goes out to Sam in this situation, but the team has definitely rallied and been very supportive.”

(On what it was like talking to Bradford on Sunday)
“Kind of what I told him was, ‘Look, God’s going to teach you something about himself and he’s going to teach you something about yourself in this situation.’ That’s what he does in every tough situation, and that’s what Sam’s facing. He will come out great on the other end. I promise you that. I’m still here to support him and he’s going to come back and he’s going to support me during the season. I know he will. He’s a standup guy. He’s going to be able to help me in game planning and things like that. We have a great relationship. I look forward to that.”

(On what he’d tell people he can bring to the offense)
“I’ve got some experience and been in this league for a long time. I think when we get into the game planning part of it, I think that’s where the experience and that edge will take over.”

http://www.rams-news.com/brandon-washington-battles-to-get-back-to-practice-field-pd/%5D Brandon Washington Battles to Get Back to Practice Field –PD
Rams guard Brandon Washington readily admits he is not a good patient.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-report-team-prepares-for-browns-in-first-post-camp-practice-pd/%5D Laurinaitis Practicing, But Still Iffy For Browns –PD
The Rams wrapped up their first post-training camp workout Thursday and went through some of their final preparations for Saturday night’s preseason game against the Browns in Cleveland.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-report-team-prepares-for-browns-in-first-post-camp-practice-pd/%5D Rams Report: Team Prepares for Browns In First Post-Camp Practice –PD
The Rams wrapped up their first post-training camp workout Thursday and went through some of their final preparations for Saturday night’s preseason game against the Browns in Cleveland.

http://www.rams-news.com/practice-recap-prepping-for-cleveland-st-louisrams-com/%5D Practice Recap: Prepping for Cleveland –St.LouisRams.com
The Rams endured the heat in their first post-training camp practice of 2014 at Rams Park on Thursday.

http://www.rams-news.com/st-louis-rams-thursday-practice-report-wagoner/%5D St. Louis Rams Thursday Practice Report –Wagoner
With the “official” end of training camp coming and going Wednesday, the Rams practiced without any eyes other than media watching Thursday afternoon.

http://www.rams-news.com/michael-brockers-expecting-to-play-against-browns-wagoner/%5D Michael Brockers Expecting to Play Against Browns –Wagoner
Although the final decision will fall in the hands of St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher, defensive tackle Michael Brockers leaves little doubt about what he’s expecting Saturday night against the Cleveland Browns.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-post-practice-twitter-summary-aug-21/%5D Rams Post Practice Twitter Summary: Aug. 21

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-coach-jeff-fisher-were-looking-for-improvement-video/%5D Rams Coach Jeff Fisher: “We’re looking for improvement” –Video

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-head-coach-jeff-fisher-press-conference-transcript-aug-21/%5D Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher Press Conference Transcript: Aug. 21

http://www.rams-news.com/third-annual-rams-training-camp-dizzy-bat-race-video/%5D Third Annual Rams Training Camp Dizzy Bat Race –Video

http://www.rams-news.com/mike-tannebaum-on-why-he-likes-the-rams-wrs-radio-interview/%5D Mike Tannebaum On Why He Likes the Rams WR’s –Radio Interview

http://www.rams-news.com/st-louis-rams-2014-opening-video/%5D St. Louis Rams 2014 Opening Video

http://www.rams-news.com/gordo-on-the-rams-whos-hot-whos-not/%5D Gordo On the Rams: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not
Assessing the Rams as training camp breaks

http://www.rams-news.com/gordons-tipsheet-rams-rank-last-in-nfl-team-value/%5D Gordon’s Tipsheet: Rams Rank Last in NFL Team Value
Poor Stan Kroenke. His Rams are the least valuable team in the NFL according to the latest Forbes Magazine study, worth just $930 million.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-day-17-camp-report-latsch/%5D Rams Day 17 Camp Report –Latsch
The Rams officially closed out training camp on Wednesday afternoon with a hot and humid practice session highlighted by the attendance of two area football teams from McCluer and McCluer North high schools.

http://www.rams-news.com/james-laurinaitis-moves-closer-to-return-wagoner/%5D James Laurinaitis Moves Closer to Return –Wagoner
Watching a St. Louis Rams game, preseason or otherwise, without the presence of linebacker James Laurinaitis is a little bit strange.

http://www.rams-news.com/morning-ram-blings-breakout-players-wagoner/%5D Morning Ram-blings: Breakout Players –Wagoner
In Wednesday’s Ram-blings, we discussed linebacker Alec Ogletree and how his success in 2014 could help make or break the St. Louis Rams’ season.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-safety-t-j-mcdonald-we-want-to-play-physical-video/%5D Rams Safety T.J. McDonald: “We want to play physical” –Video

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-dt-michael-brockers-on-returning-to-practice-radio-interview/%5D Rams DT Michael Brockers on Returning to Practice –Radio Interview

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-head-coach-jeff-fisher-post-practice-press-conference-transcript-aug-20/%5D Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher Post Practice Press Conference Transcript: Aug. 20

http://www.rams-news.com/jim-thomas-previews-the-rams-vs-browns-game-video/%5D Jim Thomas Previews the Rams vs. Browns Game –Video

Bradford Passes Preliminary Test Against Packers
By Anthony Stalter

http://www.101sports.com/2014/08/18/bradford-passes-preliminary-test-packers/

Sam Bradford has easily been one of the most polarizing players in St. Louis sports over the last four years. And nothing he did on two drives in one exhibition game is going to change that for his detractors, but it was hard not to come away encouraged by his performance on Saturday afternoon.

Take, for example, his 41-yard completion to Brian Quick on the second drive of the game. Maybe he still hears Steve Spagnuolo shouting in his ear to get rid of the ball after only three seconds or continues to fear for his life believing that the O-line that got him beat up in 2011 will suddenly inhabit the bodies of his current offensive linemen. Whatever the reason, there have been plenty of times throughout the course of his first four seasons when Bradford hasn’t been patient enough to let deeper routes develop in front of him.

But that wasn’t the case on Saturday, as he stood tall behind solid protection and allowed Quick to complete his post pattern against Green Bay’s secondary. To Quick’s credit, he did a nice job flattening his route in order to stay under the safety and leave the cornerback on his hip pocket, then coming down with the ball after catching it at its highest point. The pass may have sailed a bit on Bradford, but he put it in a spot where his receiver could not only make a play on it, but also gain yards after the catch.

There was also a more subtle positive later in the quarter when Bradford hit Kenny Britt for a 5-yard completion on third-and-three from Green Bay’s 10-yard line.

One of the legitimate complaints about Bradford has been his lack of mobility inside the pocket. But on that specific play, Bradford looked left initially, but didn’t like what he saw, so he slid right and created an open passing window for himself. He found Britt, who nestled between defenders and got the first down before leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury.

Bradford doesn’t have to be Russell Wilson in terms of mobility, but even Dan Marino was fleet of foot when he needed to buy himself more time. Bradford showed said mobility on that completion to Britt.

He also saved perhaps his best throw for last, as he found Lance Kendricks in the end zone for an 11-yard score midway through the second quarter. On that play, only three receivers went out for passes (four if you include running back Benny Cunningham, who ran a delay), including Kendricks, who ran a seam route. Knowing he only had a split second to fit the ball to his tight end, Bradford fired a missile between the second and third levels of the defense as Green Bay’s safety was just a hair late to break up the pass. For those who hadn’t seen it yet in camp, the play was a perfect example of how much velocity Bradford has added to his passes this offseason.

So what conclusions can we draw from Saturday? None, really. Bradford has to show all of these things in the regular season and on a consistent basis if he’s going to take the preverbal next step. It also wasn’t all good for Bradford, as he missed a wide-open Britt streaking down the sidelines in the first quarter. His detractors will point to that play and the fact that it was only two drives in a preseason game as reasons not to lessen their stranglehold around Bradford’s neck.

But it was a good start nonetheless. It’s one thing to show mobility, increased velocity and a higher penchant for throwing vertically in practice. It’s quite another to do it in a live game against a team in a different jersey. The fact that he took a hit on Saturday and also got back up without the need of the team’s medical staff was an encouraging sign as well.

We’ll see if Bradford can parlay those two positive series into a full half against the Browns, and then into a full game against the Vikings in Week 1. He has a long ways to go, but at the very least, there are some early signs that he’s going to be a more aggressive signal-caller.

alyoshamucci

As usual, the initial reviews I read before watching the game were totally different from the game I saw . . . but they got closer to what I saw after a day or so.

Of course there was no gameplanning, 1 starter on the D line playing, and 0 of our top 3 CBs. Also, the biggest thing, JL, the General of our defense was not on field to make the calls . .. I am pretty sure thats why we were a step late in our run fits.

The Good

1) Aaron Donald was putting on a show . . . his ability to get through around and under starting O linemen was pretty stunning. The opposing coaches are going to have to design run plays with him in mind, because he’s coming through one way or another on most plays it looks like. I put his TFL over under at 20 (including sacks) . . .Donald has the hard part down. The hand play, strength and speed. He will need scheme help in our defense to not take himself out of plays, but thats on GW to ensure

2) G Rob is a freak. He has excellent balance, and seems to be setting up just fine for passing plays . . inside and outside (though outside he was against 2nd teamers). His drive blocking and ability to shoot out to the next level was pretty insane . . he didn’t look like it was more of a physical challenge then college, though the game was moving faster for him, that was obvious.

3) EJ Gaines was what I expected. Professional and ready to play at this level. He was a tackler in the SEC, and he forced 2 fumbles during the game. He was patient. there was a play where Michael Sam was giving chase and the QB was rolling out . . Gaines didn’t play to the ball until the QB let it go, ensuring he got the breakup, no first down, and no PI. That was pretty savvy. If you can make the team in one PS game, I figure he did it. The play aginst the fullback on the goal line sealed it for me.

4) Tavon looks really comfortable. He seems to be running his routes at a different speed.

5) Stedman Bailey is really a quality receiver. The back shoulder TD showcased his body intelligence. As he started making his turn to get the ball, he gave the defender a light tap on the shoulder, BUT DID NOT EXTEND HIS ARM. He got the push off with no Offensive PI by doing that. That was pretty awesome.

6) Our TE group is pretty impressive and specialized. Harkey is impressive and rumbling boulder of a person, Kendricks has gotten so smooth in his routes I no longer hold my breathe when he rolls out for the ball. Bayer is ready to play. He was more showcased at Bowling Green than any other receiver (except maybe Gallon), so he’s used to having the ball come his way…. he makes the final 53. If Kendricks leaves he’ll likely be the replacement. He has a good tool set.

7) Emory Blake and Austin Franklin made cases for themselves. If not here, then somewhere. Franklin’s route running is special.

8) Michael Sam looked better than Westbrooks . . which I was not expecting. Guess the stage kinda scared him. Between the D line and the DBs, Im not sure we keep everyone, maybe we can trade rather than just cutting, but I want to keep 10 DBs and 10 Dline.

9) Pettis is going to be tough to cut.

10) Zac Stacy was a vision. He makes his cuts so effortlessly with those ballerina feet. I think many do not give him credit for how hard he hits the hole. Tre Mason may have better lateral agility . . but he is not the runner that Benny or Zac is yet. I think besides KC, we have the best running attack in football (I am counting Tavon). I picked Cunningham as my surprise player this year. He does not have the feet or vision to get 7 yards where there is only 3 like Zac does, but he has the ability to breakaway if the D makes a mistake, and I believe we will see it couple times this year.

11) The young LBs fared fine, and I really like them blitzing Steward.

12) Joyner isn’t going to have any trouble tackling at his size.

13) The backup QBs are an upgrade for sure. [Gilbert]…I thought showed poise and calm I was not expecting. He has a solid throwing motion that will give him an edge when he gets flustered. Overall I scored him pretty high. Want to see more though.

The not so good.

14) Givens may wash out this year. He is not dynamic or trustworthy.

15) Barnes upset me a couple times. He may practice well, but I am going to be stunned if Barrett Jones cannot take his spot.

16) Cody Davis is going to have a hard time. He is playing kinda francic, and if he misses tackles like that he wont make the team.

17) Jo-Lonn Dunbar is too old to miss tackling high.

18) Carrington, Conrath, etc . . . no push. Carrington did get through one play and then didnt have the burst to get to the ball carrier.

—

didn;t see too much from the safeties, they seemed to be playing deep like Williams likes. TJ covered Graham pretty well at the start of the game, and Mo showed up at the back end of plays . . and showed up bringing heat. he also impressed me by pulling up short of a roughing call on a receiver.

=================

RockRam

It was ridiculously easy for NO to run the ball.I recognize that our starters at DT didn’t play, and it was the rotation guys mainly. But it was like they’d never been blocked before and didn’t know what to do.I saw Donald get engulfed several times. Our LBs didn’t hold up. Again, I realize who played and who didn’t. But just terrible tackling and run support. Again, can’t seem to get off blocks.

TE Cunningham simply doesn’t belong. Hands of stone, too much time on the ground, misses blocks.

Is it me, or does some our 2nd string Oline look anorexic?

I think Blake or Harris can beat out Pettis this year. They have more speed, and while Pettis is good in the red zone, with our TEs and Brit and Quick we have plenty of size. I just don’t think he’s gonna make it. But he’ll play somewhere.

I didn’t think either starting Safety was particularly effective.

Positives:

GRob played LG and LT and did quite well on both. Made a few mistakes that were easily seen, but physically could move his man at Guard, and handled pass rushers well enough at LT.

Hill is a great pick up at backup QB. Very good command of the huddle, the plays, and is accurate and confident in where he’s throwing it. Takes calculated risks and throws 50/50 balls trusting our WRs to make the play. Looks to throw downfield. Garrett looked like a rookie, and Austin looked like he had 3 training camps. Nonetheless Garrett is more talented than Austin. But I have to believe that he’s a PS guy. Hard to imagine that they use one of the precious 53 spots on him.

That said, our WRs looked a lot more like NFL WRs. Ball awareness, position, making plays when contetested.

Bailey is going to be outstanding this year.

Austin in space can get us 5 yards anytime we want it, and is versatile.

Not enough of Quick or Brit to tell much of anything.

Mason got his sea legs and started to look like he was playing at Auburn.

If Cunningham isn’t Stacy’s backup I’ll eat my hat. Tough little sucker who knows what he’s doing.

TE Bayer is a keeper. Soft hands, runs good routes, just looks the part of a good all around TE. I have little doubt that barring injury our TE corps is Cook, Kendricks, the underrated Harkey, and Bayer.

I watched with interest an obscure DT named Harlan; really like what I saw. Not real big (yet), reminded me a lot of Hayes.

It was clear that only sometimes did GW ask for tight coverage; and when he did EJ Gaines looked quite good. Alexander has no idea what he’s doing but when he arrives, he makes plays. Joyner was up and down, but man can he close and when he gets there the size of the guy he’s tackling just doesn’t much matter.

Yeah, lots of errors, flags, etc. But no fumbles, no INTs by the Rams. Saw some guys who looked overmatched, but also have to accept that this is preseason, many were rookies or 2nd year guys, and everything was pretty vanilla.

I would NOT want to be some of the front 7 back-ups this week; GW is going to be brutal on them.

I also would not be surprised to see the Rams pick up a vet OT cast off. They look scary thin there. It’s not the best situation when your back up OT is your starting RG, and then your starting LG. You need to be able to insert a bench guy at OT if a guy goes down even for part of a game. You need to be able to dress a C/G and an OT or OT/G on game day. And as of yet I just don’t see a development guy that can be trusted. But, admittedly, it is early.

I never thought Fisher intended to roll back the clock. Rather I see him taking the NE approach. Pass and run with equal efficiency, adjusting your game for the opponent, and then understanding the pass scores points, the run controls the clock and prevents the D from just pinning their ears back and rushing the passer. But the run game HAS to be real. Because the D will then just take away the pass and let you run yourself silly knowing that the odds are you’ll cough the ball up in the 12 plays it takes to get to the goal line.

In watching the routes run by the Rams last night, they were intermediate and deep for the WOs. Used the slot and TEs underneath mostly.

This isn’t going to be 3 yards and a cloud of dust. If it was, Kendricks, Cook, Austin, Bailey, Givens, are all bad fits. And the Rams have been too deliberate to just throw darts at the board.

• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by zn.

Rams Preview: Defense Might Not Be Enough

Injuries forced St. Louis to change approaches on offense last season, and recent personnel moves indicate a unit still searching for an identity. Can a monstrous defensive line hold down the fort in the NFL’s toughest division?

By Andy Benoit

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/08/07/st-louis-rams-2014-preview-nfl/

OFFENSE

What, exactly, are the Rams trying to be? Right now, they’re a team with an identity crisis. Last year, head coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead used the eighth overall pick on Tavon Austin and signed free agent flex tight end Jared Cook for a $16 million signing bonus. Both moves were significant investments in a quick-striking spread offense—like the one quarterback Sam Bradford thrived in at Oklahoma.

But Bradford and his receivers struggled mightily in a spread scheme out of the gates last year. To alleviate the pressure, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer incorporated more basic, run-oriented—even smash mouth—concepts in Weeks 5 and 6. The adjustment worked.

Then Bradford tore his ACL in Week 7 and, with backup Kellen Clemens at the helm and needing to be hidden, the adjustment became permanent. Aside from a few 3 x 2 sets in passing situations, the Rams abandoned an aerial attack that too often was restricted to underneath targets anyway (the quarterbacks’ fault, not the play-caller’s). They committed to a ball control approach, led by fifth-round rookie running back Zac Stacy.

One might have chalked this up to the Rams just making due with the resources they had. But this past offseason, with everyone healthy, Fisher and Snead used the second overall pick on Greg Robinson. If you’re a spread offense that gets the ball out quickly and in space, it doesn’t make sense to invest heavily in a mauling offensive lineman, especially if you already have a good (and pricey) veteran left tackle like Jake Long. This sort of investment would, however, make sense if you’re a grinding offense that wants to keep running “power” and “counter” inside, like the Rams did a year ago. But in this case, where does last year’s first-rounder fit? The Robinson selection almost directly contradicts the Austin selection. There’s a role somewhere for Austin in a traditional black and blue offense, but it’s miniscule and hard to pinpoint. Austin is a guy who needs to be on the move and given the ball in space. This is hard to do out of traditional two-back, run-type sets. In those, you feature more play-action passes and isolation routes on the outside, requiring receivers to create their own separation off the line. That’s very difficult for the 5-8, 175-pound Austin.

Separating from man coverage was actually difficult for this entire receiving corps last season. That won’t suddenly change in 2014, so Schottenheimer is going to have to incorporate more intertwined man-beater concepts like the ones he ran with the low-octane Jets a few years ago. He at least has a deep cast, though it’s one that’s bereft of clear-cut starters. Austin Pettis is Bradford’s security blanket, but the lanky fourth-year pro is not quite a playmaker. The speedy, long-striding Chris Givens can make plays but is constricted by unrefined route running. Brian Quick, a second-round pick in 2012, needs to be used more, but that can’t happen if he fails to haul in catchable balls or stays too upright in running downfield routes. Last year’s third-round pick, Stedman Bailey, has made slow progress in carving out a niche; a four-game suspension to begin the season won’t help. And newcomer Kenny Britt, because of knee problems, is a shell of his former self.

Schottenheimer also has Jared Cook at tight end. Cook is at his best in spread sets where he can detach from the formation and draw matchups against linebackers. In a power running system, he is asked to play more along the line of scrimmage, where his blocking is very inconsistent. Joining Cook is move-oriented tight end Lance Kendricks plus H-back Cory Harkey, who was a stalwart lead-blocker for Stacy last season.

The drafting of running back Tre Mason in Round 3 was similar to the Robinson pick in that it suggests a commitment to a power running offense. Though built like Giovani Bernard at 5-8, 205 pounds, Mason has the potential to be a foundational type back, capable of ramming the ball inside. The Rams won’t ask him to do that fulltime, though, at least not right away. Most likely, Mason will complement Stacy, who could be difficult to take off the field. Stacy’s 3.9 yards per carry last season doesn’t look impressive on paper, but the low average was partly a function of how a power running offense operates. On film, Stacy was intriguing, showing lateral agility and quick feet in confined areas and having the downhill momentum to keep moving forward on contact.

Stacy and Mason will be working behind Robinson, a future tackle who is transitioning into the NFL at left guard. Robinson couldn’t ask for a better player to learn alongside than Jake Long, who stood out as a run-blocker and pass protector last season before tearing his ACL and MCL two days before Christmas. The seventh-year veteran is said to be fully recovered. To Robinson’s right is 11th-year center Scott Wells, creating a sandwich of veteran wisdom around the rookie. On the right side, tackle Joe Barksdale lacks the athleticism to hold up in pass protection, but the Rams are content to gamble with him because they want Rodger Saffold to play guard. When he wasn’t hurt, Saffold flashed in the running game last year. The Rams did make provisions in case he has to slide back to right tackle, signing Davin Joseph, a former Pro Bowl guard in Tampa Bay whose career has been derailed by injuries.

Conducting this show is Bradford, whom the Rams insist is Their Guy. Though Bradford has two years remaining on a rookie deal that’s keeping his cap number in the mid teens (very reasonable for a starting QB), this is a make-or-break year for him. Injuries were a problem coming out of Oklahoma, and that’s remained the case in the pros (torn ACL last year, ankle injury two years before that).

What system the Rams ultimately run this year largely will be a function of what Bradford is most comfortable with. He has the arm strength and pinpoint accuracy to prosper in any scheme. His problem has been a lack of pocket poise coupled with tunnel vision. There have been too many instances where he gets impatient and doesn’t see the entire field. Those are crippling weaknesses for an NFL quarterback.

The Rams don’t need Bradford to be a superstar. In fact, they quietly went 4-3 without him down the stretch, with wins over the Colts, Saints and playoff-contending Bears. But they do need Bradford to become dependable. Otherwise they’ll have to ask too much of their potentially spectacular defense.

DEFENSE

What makes this unit potentially spectacular is a defensive line that, heading into the draft, may have already been the best in football. It certainly was coming out of it, as the Rams were pleasantly surprised to find defensive tackle Aaron Donald still on the board when picking again at 13. With that selection, this officially became the NFL’s only D-line to boast four former first-round picks.
In order to reach their full potential on defense, the Rams need linebacker James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree to play better against the run. (Jeff Roberson/AP)In order to reach their full potential on defense, the Rams need linebacker James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree to play better against the run. (Jeff Roberson/AP)

Donald will work alongside Michael Brockers (drafted 14th overall in 2012) and ahead of two outstanding backups, Kendall Langford and Eugene Sims (who can also play defensive end). Tremendously strong hands and a burst off contact make Brockers one of the most thunderous block-shedders in the game. It helps that he faces a lot of one-on-one scenarios playing alongside Robert Quinn (14th in 2011). Quinn is far and away the most terrifying edge-rusher in the game right now. Opposite him is Chris Long (second overall in 2008), whose speed and quickness have gradually climbed from average to solid to impressive over his career.

Last year’s defensive coordinator Tim Walton did an excellent job at creating one-on-one opportunities for his pass rushers through a variety of different fronts. Two prominent wrinkles were having Quinn align inside, where he was equally as explosive, and using two three-techniques on passing downs, which compromises a lot of an offensive line’s double-team concepts and is a great way to set up stunts.

Walton, unfortunately, did not excel in other areas and got replaced this past offseason by Gregg Williams, whom Fisher had originally hired upon arriving in St. Louis two years ago, just prior to Williams’s Bountygate suspension. Williams’s scheme will be similar to Walton’s in pass-rushing alignments and the zone-based coverage concepts that Fisher likes. What’ll be different are the wrinkles of aggression, something Williams typically applies on blitzes. But with such a lethal front, he will now apply more to coverage disguises and rotations.

The question is whether St. Louis’s young back seven can handle this. Middle linebacker James Laurinaitis has evolved into a savvy vet, but there’s little evidence that he can carry a unit Ray Lewis-style. It’s disconcerting that, even with a domineering front four, the Rams last season were gouged repeatedly on the ground, especially by zone rushing attacks. While the safety run support was never great, there has to be some blame on Laurinaitis’s linebacking unit.

Working alongside Laurinaitis is the back seven defender with the most to learn but also the one with the most upside: Alec Ogletree. The second-year pro has rare speed and fluidity but must figure out how to recognize even basic NFL offensive designs. Physically, Ogletree is clearly this defense’s most versatile chess piece; it will be fascinating to see how Williams uses him.

In the secondary are third-year corners Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson, both of whom had first-round talent entering the NFL but respectively fell to Rounds 2 and 3 because of character concerns. Jenkins has playmaking prowess as long as his confidence does not waiver. Johnson has shown the ability to transition from zone to man coverage on the outside, which is vital for excelling in a single-high safety base defense.

To rectify the team’s problems in nickel, Fisher and Snead drafted Lamarcus Joyner in the second round. The 5-8, 185-pounder can fill the slot and, based on his experience at Florida State, has the potential to drop back to safety in the base 4-3 (a la Tyrann Mathieu in Arizona). In that case he’d be supplanting free safety Rodney McLeod, who has also played the slot in certain sub-packages. At strong safety is T.J. McDonald, a straight-line athlete who covers ground quickly thanks to his length. To back up—or maybe eventually challenge—McDonald, the Rams used a fourth-round pick on hard-hitting converted linebacker Mo Alexander.

SPECIAL TEAMS

After going 7 of 13 on 50-plus-yard field goals in 2012, Greg Zuerlein was asked to kick from that deep just twice last year (he made one). Punter Johnny Hekker set an NFL record with a 44.2 net average. In the return game, Tavon Austin was up and down as a rookie but found his lethal rhythm as the season progressed.

BOTTOM LINE

If the Rams played in the NFC East, they’d be a dark horse contender because of their defense. But unfortunately they’re in the loaded NFC West, where San Francisco and Seattle have even better defenses plus and—here’s the real separation—the offenses to go along with it.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-notes-first-preseason-game-will-help-gauge-defense-pd/%5D Rams Notes: First Preseason Game Will Help Gauge Defense –PD
With their dress rehearsal at the Edward Jones Dome — Saturday’s FanFest workout — completed, the Rams now will turn their attention to preparing for their first game action of the preseason. They host the New Orleans Saints at 7 p.m. Friday.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-wr-stedman-bailey-shines-but-will-disappear-in-september-pd/%5D Rams WR Stedman Bailey Shines But Will Disappear in September –PD
Stedman Bailey learned to be patient last season as a rookie, and the start of this season will be no different.

http://www.rams-news.com/rams-wr-stedman-bailey-still-busy-despite-suspension-wagoner/%5D Rams’ WR Stedman Bailey Still Busy Despite Suspension –Wagoner
For those who have watched the St. Louis Rams in training camp, there has been an obvious attempt by the team to give a handful of their wide receivers an opportunity to play with the first team.

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William Hayes working back from surgeries
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10101/william-hayes-working-back-from-surgeries

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Although you’d hardly know it based on how he’s performed since he started playing for the St. Louis Rams in 2012, but defensive end William Hayes has been hurt.

Hayes assumed the nagging pain and the bumps and bruises he’d accumulated in his first two seasons with the team were nothing more than soft tissue injuries, the types of things that would go away with some offseason rest and relaxation. He waited through the 2013 offseason and it never happened. So when this offseason began, he decided to get further inspection.

What Hayes and the doctors found wasn’t pretty. So he went to coach Jeff Fisher, who told him to get it fixed. The result was Hayes spending most of January and February having surgeries. Yes, surgeries, plural.

Hayes started with collarbone and ankle operations before turning to a more serious issue, surgery on a hip that had been bothering him for his entire stay in St. Louis. The procedures kept Hayes out for all of the team’s organized team activities and had him sitting in the early days of training camp.

Last week, Hayes began to get back in the mix for individual drills. On Thursday night, Hayes took a bigger step as he returned for a handful of team drills and some work in one-on-one pass rush drills.

“This offseason was more about getting myself healthy,” Hayes said. “The past few years I have been playing pretty hurt. I wanted to be able to come in and really help my team this year so I wanted to maximize the chance to get my body back super healthy and I did good. The training staff did a great job. They did an excellent job. We just grinded it out. This is probably the best I’ve felt since my second season in the NFL.”

For those keeping score at home, Hayes’ second season was all the way back in 2009.

The Rams also did their part to help alleviate some of Hayes’ workload. He’s been a key contributor as the top backup at defensive end, especially on running downs, but had the added workload of coming in as an interior pass-rusher on third downs. The team’s pursuit of free agent tackles Alex Carrington and the choice of Aaron Donald with the No. 13 overall pick were moves made in part to help ease Hayes’ burden.

In his two seasons in St. Louis, Hayes has posted 63 tackles, 12 sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception while playing just 685 snaps. He’s become one of the best rotational defensive linemen in the league and is viewed as one of the emotional leaders in the locker room.

Simply having Hayes and offensive tackle Jake Long, who is recovering from knee surgery, back on the field is enough to bring a smile to Fisher’s face.

“It was great to have William and Jake back,” Fisher said Thursday night. “They’ve been working hard, we are just going to ease them back into it. No issues today so we’ll get some more reps tomorrow but it’s good to get them back. They’re both excited.”

Beyond getting the operations needed to come back healthy in 2014, Hayes was diligent about the offseason workouts he could do, trimming his weight from 286 pounds to what he estimates is between 275 and 278 pounds. He spent most of his offseason in St. Louis working with the team’s training staff but also made sure to have trainers available for trips home to North Carolina and out to New York.

And though Hayes hasn’t been able to practice, he has made a habit of getting extra reps when he can before and after workouts with right tackle Joe Barksdale there to assist.

The plan from here is to continue working Hayes in and getting him reps when possible. He’s hoping to get some work in the preseason games, reps he says he wants to get so he doesn’t feel like he’s playing his way back into shape when the season starts.

“It did wonders for me after I got it (the surgery),” Hayes said. “I felt better the day after I got it than I did during the season. It’s a process I’m going through right now. The hardest part is just being able to be patient, trying to beg for reps every day. It’s a process.”