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August 16, 2014 at 7:49 pm #4139
RamBillParticipantBradford sharp, but not much else goes right for Rams
• By Jim ThomasPreseason game No. 2 was a mixed bag for the Rams. On defense they had no antidote for Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers who put up 10 quick points in what became a 21-7 Packers victory Saturday at the Edward Jones Dome.
On offense, they couldn’t budge the line of scrimmage in the running game, despite a lot of work in that area during the practice week.
Running back Zac Stacy had only six yards on six carries while the starting offense was on the field, albeit a starting unit missing two line starters _ left tackle Jake Long and right guard Rodger Saffold.
But quarterback Sam Bradford passed his first test with flying colors, completing nine of 12 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, good for a passer rating of 127.4. Just as important symbolically, Bradford survived his first hit, and a big one at that when Julius Peppers steamed around left tackle Greg Robinson and flattened Bradford from behind.
But Bradford bounced right up, got back in the huddle and completed his next three passes to finish off a 76-yard touchdown drive.
“I felt good,” Bradford said. “It was nothing new. I’ve been here before. I think for everyone else it’s probably a bigger deal for me to get back out on the field. But it was nice to get out there in a live game, feel the pass rush, get the ball out of my hand, go out there and execute the way that we did.”
The best part of the TD drive was a deep ball over the middle to Brian Quick. Quick went up to get the ball in traffic, and came down with it _ something Rams coaches and Quick have worked hard to make part of his game. Quick then added several yards after the catch for a 41-yard gain.
“Big catch,” Bradford said. “That’s what we’ve seen from him from OTAs, during training camp. I mean, he’s made plays like that for a long time now and it’s good to finally see it showing up on the field. I expect to see a lot of that from him this year.”
Quick got behind the Green Bay secondary a second time on the drive with cornerback Sam Shields grabbing him to prevent a touchdown. The resulting pass interference penalty gave the Rams a first down a the Packers 17. Four plays and a penalty later, Bradford zipped an 11-yard TD pass caught by tight end Lance Kendricks despite blanket coverage by Packers safety Micah Hyde.
That narrowed Green Bay’s lead to 10-7 midway through the second quarter. Bradford was done for the day after two series.
“I felt like we moved the ball the second drive,” Kendricks said. “I felt like we got comfortable. The first drive was a little shaky, but the second drive we really found our (stride) and we pushed the all down the field great.”
Bradford’s biggest miss came on the Rams’ opening drive when he had Kenny Britt open streaking down the right sideline. But Bradford was just a little wide on his throw, which came down out of bounds.
Just a few plays earlier, Bradford showed that he’s not thinking about his surgically repaired knee. Coach Jeff Fisher decided to go for it on fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 43. With pass rushers swarming all around him, Bradford hung in the pocket and threw to tight end Jared Cook on a crossing pattern for a four-yard gain and a first down.
On the minus side, Rodgers toyed with the Rams’ defense, completing 11 of 13 passes for 128 yards in his two series, leading the Packers to a touchdown and a field goal.
For the newcomers on the St. Louis defense, they got a taste of what it’s like to play an elite quarterback. With neither team blitzing while the opposing team’s starting quarterback was in the game, Rodgers bought time with his feet when needed, and as is almost always the case displayed pinpoint accuracy.
Rookie nickel back Lamarcus Joyner struggled to keep up. On the Packers’ opening drive, Joyner appeared to get tangled up in the end zone, while Rodgers avoided the rush by moving the pocket to the right. He then rifled a strike to Randall Cobb in the back of the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass on 2nd-and-goal.
On Green Bay’s second possession, Rodgers once again scrambled away from pressure to his right and had time to survey the field. While the Rams scrambled around trying to keep up tight end Andrew Quarless got loose down field.
Rodgers threw another strike for a 35-yard gain to the Rams 12 before Joyner caught up to make the tackle. This time, the Rams held Green Bay to a field goal but only after an illegal use of hands penalty against Green Bay wiped out a TD pass from Rodgers to Jordy Nelson.
The score remained 10-7 Green Bay until late in the third quarter when backup Packers QB Matt Flynn completed a short pass over the middle to Jeff Janis, who nobody picked up on a crossing route. Janis turned up field and ended up scoring a 34-yard TD. Flynn then completed a two-point conversion pass to Davante Adams for an 18-7 lead with 1:01 to play in the third quarter.
The Packers added a 49-yard field by Mason Crosby with 6:46 left in the game. Highlights were few and far between for St. Louis. Greg Zuerlein missed wide right on a 55-yard field goal attempt earlier in the quarter. But Michael Sam registered his first sack of the preseason, dropping Flynn in the first quarter to force the Crosby field goal.
August 16, 2014 at 7:55 pm #4140RamBillParticipantPackers knock off Rams 21-7 in preseason action at the Dome
• By Joe LyonsThe Green Bay Packers won 21-7 over the Rams Saturday in a penalty-filled preseason game at the Edward Jones Dome.
Green Bay is 1-1; the Rams fell to 0-2.
The Rams, who scored on an 11-yard pass from Sam Bradford to Lance Kendricks in the second quarter, will close out the preseason with a pair of road games _ Saturday at Cleveland and Thursday, Aug. 28, at Miami.
The Packers, who led from start to finish, closed out the scoring with 6:46 left, going up 21-7 on a Mason Crosby field goal from 49 yards. The kick came one play after rookie Michael Sam ran down Matt Flynn to record his first professional sack. Sam, a seventh-round draft pick from Mizzou, is the first openly gay player to be drafted into the NFL He was the co-defensive player of the year in the SEC as a senior at Missouri.
With 9:37, a 55-yard field goal try from the Rams’ Greg Zuerlein sailed wide to the right.
FLYNN HELPS GREEN BAY ADD TO LEAD
The teams traded punts through much of the third quarter. But that changed with about a minute left in the period when veteran Matt Flynn entered the game at quarterback and needed just three plays to cover 47 yards and stretch the lead to 18-7.
On a third-and-one from the Rams’ 34, he hit Jeff Janis on a crossing pattern and the rookie from Saginaw Valley State did the rest, racing down the left sideline for the touchdown. The Packers elected to go for two and moved their lead to 18-7 when Flynn hit another rookie, Davante Adams from Fresno State, on a slant with 1:08 left in the third quarter.
PACKERS UP 10-7 AT THE HALF
Green Bay added to its lead early in the second quarter, going up 10-0 on a on a 31-yard field goal by Mason Crosby with 12:41 to play in first half. The kick capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive. On the drive, a Packers’ touchdown pass was wiped out by a hands-to-the-face call on a Green Bay offensive lineman.
On the opening play of the Rams’ second drive, Bradford hooked up with Brian Quick for a 41-yard gain. Quick ran a post pattern and went up to take the ball away from a Packer defender.
Later in the drive, Bradford took his first hit as Julius Peppers came around right end _ and rookie left tackle Greg Robinson _ to get to Bradford on an incomplete pass.
A couple of plays after a clutch third-down pass to Kenny Britt, Bradford hit tight end Lance Kendricks down the seam for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 10-7 with 8:02 to play in the opening half.
Both starting quarterbacks done after two series. Bradford completed 9 of 12 for 101 yards and a touchdown while Rodgers was 11 of 13 for 128 yards and score. Rodgers also had a 14-yard scramble.
Shawn Hill in at quarterback for the Rams. On his first pass, he completes a 15-yarder to Stedman Bailey for a first down.
RODGERS, LACY LEAD PACK TO 10-0 LEAD
The Packers wasted no time as Aaron Rodgers marched his team 86 yards on 12 plays to go up 7-0 on a 3-yard pass to Randall Cobb to cap the game’s opening drive. On the touchdown, Rodgers rolled right and waited until Cobb got open at the back of the end zone.
Rodgers completed all six of his passes for 47 yards and added a 14-yard scramble on the drive. Second-year back Eddie Lacy also had a solid opening drive, rushing five times to 25 yards to go along with two catches for 22 yards.
Rams quarterback Sam Bradford completed his first five passes, including a 5-yarder to Jared Cook on a fourth-and three play to keep the opening drive alive. But back-to-back penalties slowed the drive and forced the home team to punt.
BRADFORD STARTS
Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is expected to get the start as the Rams and Green Bay Packers square off in preseason action today at 3 p.m. at the Edward Jones Dome.
Bradford, who sat out last week’s 26-24 loss to the visiting New Orleans Saints, is making his first game appearance since suffering a season-ending knee injury against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 20, 2013.
Following Thursday’s practice at Rams Park, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Bradford would play a quarter, maybe more, against Green Bay.
Both teams enter today’s action at 0-1. The Packers opened the preseason with a 20-16 road loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The second and final home game of the preseason for the Rams also marks the team’s first preseason matinee since arriving in 1995.
The Packers have not played an afternoon game in the preseason since Sept. 1, 2006.
Today marks just the fifth preseason meeting between the teams; with a 19-7 win in St. Louis a year ago, the Packers evened the preseason series at 2-2.
In the regular-season series, which dates back to the Rams’ inaugural season of 1937, the Rams hold a 45-44-2 record against Green Bay. But the Packers have won the last four regular-season meetings.
The teams are 1-1 in playoff meetings.
The Rams will close out the preseason with road games Saturday at Cleveland and Thursday, Aug. 28, at Miami.
The Rams are sporting blue jerseys and white pants while the Packers are in white jerseys and gold pants.
Looks like five Rams’ starters _ left tackle Jake Long, right guard Rodger Saffold, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, linebacker James Laurinaitis and defensive tackle Michael Brockers _ will be sitting this one out.
Nine starters sat out last week’s 26-24 loss to the visiting Saints.
Other players not dressed out are cornerback Darren Woodard, safety Matt Daniels, fullback Kadeem Jones, defensive end Sammy Brown, offensive lineman Demetrius Rhaney, center/guard Barrett Jones, guard Brandon Washington and defensive end William Hayes.
August 16, 2014 at 8:02 pm #4141RamBillParticipantObservation Deck: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10572/observation-deck-st-louis-rams-2
ST. LOUIS — The fast break offense of the Green Bay Packers put the St. Louis Rams on their heels from the opening kickoff, and the Packers never looked back in Saturday’s second preseason contest.
Green Bay went on to a 21-7 victory at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams dropped to 0-2 in the preseason.
Some more thoughts and observations from Saturday’s game:
Aside from a poorly timed and thrown misfire on a deep ball intended for receiver Kenny Britt, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford’s first game action in 300 days was a success. Bradford started and led two drives before calling it a day. I had him down for 22 snaps with 12 pass attempts, six run plays and four plays nullified by penalty. He finished 9-of-12 for 101 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions for a rating of 127.4. On those snaps, Bradford only took one real hit but it was a big one from Green Bay’s Julius Peppers. Bradford bounced back up with no issues, though. Bradford’s second drive was his best work of the day, including a nice throw over the middle to receiver Brian Quick for a 41-yard gain and a perfectly threaded throw to tight end Lance Kendricks for an 11-yard touchdown.
If anyone had flashbacks to the way the Rams closed the season in Seattle last year when watching the first-team offense attempt to run the ball, you’re forgiven. The run blocking was nowhere to be found as Zac Stacy finished with 6 yards on six carries. The Rams definitely miss left tackle Jake Long and right guard Rodger Saffold in that area and, of course, they aren’t game planning. Still, if you’re going to be a run-first offense, you’d like to at least gain some traction there in preseason.
The Packers’ first-team offense made it look easy against the Rams’ top defense on its two drives to start the game. The Rams are playing vanilla schematically, sure, but the Packers aren’t exactly showing all they have, either. The Rams generated little pass rush until the second defense entered and the corners and safeties sat back in soft coverage consistently. At one point, the Rams had both safeties lining up 20 yards off the line of scrimmage and dropping back further at the snap. Completions came easy for Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers from there.
Undrafted rookie defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks continues to impress. He entered before Michael Sam at left defensive end with the second defense and made the most of the opportunity. He had a sack and a couple of pressures before moving around in the second half. Sam was mostly nondescript before reaching Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn for a sack with about seven minutes and 25 seconds to play. Sam isn’t standing out as much as Westbrooks but he’s doing enough to stay in the picture. That battle will continue over the next couple of weeks.
No surprises on the list of Rams not playing Saturday, though it was a bit smaller than last week’s. Cornerbacks, E.J. Gaines, Janoris Jenkins and Darren Woodard, safety Matt Daniels, fullback Kadeem Jones, linebacker James Laurinaitis, end Sammy Brown, center Demetrius Rhaney, offensive linemen Rodger Saffold, Barrett Jones and Brandon Washington, tackle Jake Long, defensive tackle Michael Brockers and end William Hayes were not in uniform. Jenkins, Laurinaitis, Saffold, Brockers and Long are the only starters in that group. The Rams were without 18 players and nine starters against New Orleans last week.
August 16, 2014 at 8:17 pm #4142RamBillParticipantJim Thomas @jthom1
Fisher says WR Kenny Britt has a stinger; not a concern.
Jeff Fisher says RB Isaiah Pead probably out for season with ACL injury in knee.
Michael Sam registers fourth-quarter sack for Rams.
Nick Wagoner @nwagoner
DE Michael Sam said he was more comfortable this week after getting some nerves out last week. Mentioned amount of work still to be done.
Also, QB Sam Bradford says he didn’t say “I’m back” to sideline after TD pass. Said there’s a saying QBs have he yelled to guys over there.
Other than Pead’s ACL injury, Fisher indicated no other substantial injuries in this one.
Jeff Fisher said he wanted defense to “just go out and play.” Kept emphasizing how basic Rams were on defense.
WR Kenny Britt says he did have stinger but it wore off. Sounds like he’ll be OK.
Fisher said WR Kenny Britt had a stinger in shoulder. Didn’t seem too concerned about it.
Jeff Fisher says belief is that RB Isaiah Pead suffered torn ACL and will be lost for season.
Rams drop this one to Green Bay 21-7. Fall to 0-2 in the preseason. Back with more after locker room.
Long day for OT Sean Hooey. Putting it mildly.
St. Louis Rams @STLouisRams
Fisher on @Bquick_SC’s big play: “Sam anticipated well, put it up in the air and gave Brian the chance to make the play.” #GBvsSTL
Fisher on the #Rams run game: “We were hoping for more.” #GBvsSTL
Fisher: “It appears that we’ve lost Isaiah [Pead] with an ACL.” #GBvsSTL
Fisher: “We kept things very, very basic on defense.” #GBvsSTL
Jeff Fisher: “For anybody who had questions about Sam’s [Bradford] physical condition, I think he answered them today.” #GBvsSTL
August 16, 2014 at 8:48 pm #4147RamBillParticipantBradford strong in return for Rams
By Nate Latschhttp://stl.scout.com/2/1435095.html
ST. LOUIS — Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is back.
Bradford made his preseason debut against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday afternoon at Edward Jones Dome and looked good in his first action since his season-ending knee injury in Week 7 last year.
Bradford directed the Rams’ first two series on Saturday. He completed nine of 12 passes (75 percent) for 101 yards and a touchdown and recorded a quarterback rating of 127.4.
“It felt good,” Bradford said. “It was nothing new. I’ve been here before. I think for everyone else it’s probably a bigger deal for me to get back out on the field. But it was nice to get out there in a live game, feel the pass rush, get the ball out of my hand and go out there and execute the way that we did. I thought it was good.”
He hooked up with Jared Cook on a shallow crossing pattern to convert a fourth down on the Rams’ first possession, but that drive fizzled out after that because of a holding and illegal formation penalties.
Bradford opened his second series with a nice 41-yard completion to Brian Quick down the middle of the field and finished it by zipping an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lance Kendricks on a seam route.
Shaun Hill came in at quarterback for the Rams’ third series in the middle of the second quarter with the Rams trailing 10-7.
August 16, 2014 at 9:20 pm #4150RamBillParticipantIsaiah Pead out with likely ACL tear
By Nick Wagoner |ST. LOUIS — Although the St. Louis Rams don’t have official confirmation yet, coach Jeff Fisher said after Saturday’s game that running back Isaiah Pead likely will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
“It appears that we’ve lost Isaiah with an ACL [tear],” Fisher said. “We’ll have to talk to our doctors. It’s unlikely that he has not torn his ACL, which is very tough for him. … It’s unfortunate that happened. So we’ll just hope for the best as far as that’s concerned.”
Pead suffered the injury while returning a kickoff after Green Bay scored on the opening drive of its 21-7 win Saturday.
With less than 10 minutes to go in the first quarter, Pead took the kick down the left sideline where fellow running back Benny Cunningham had opened a hole with a big block. Pead appeared to trip as he attempted a jump-cut, the field grabbed hold of his foot and his knee buckled.
Pead was not tackled on the play, and Fisher suspected that he was caught off guard by the sudden opening.
“It might have spooked him a little bit because when he came off the field, the doctors told him that he didn’t hit anybody, wasn’t tackled and he thought he was tackled,” Fisher said. “It was just one of those non-contact, freak injuries that happen out there sometimes.”
Pead was in the process of returning from a fractured finger suffered earlier in camp. He had a pin inserted into the finger and was returning the kick primarily using his left hand after sitting out the preseason opener against New Orleans.
The Rams originally selected Pead in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. He’s posted 75 rushing yards and 94 receiving yards in two seasons.
August 16, 2014 at 10:19 pm #4153RamBillParticipantBradford’s return a step in right direction
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10581/bradfords-return-a-step-in-right-direction
ST. LOUIS — After St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford stood in the pocket and fired a picture perfect 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lance Kendricks early in the second quarter, it looked on television like he turned to his sideline and yelled, “I’m back!”
After Saturday’s 21-7 preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers, Bradford said those weren’t his words and instead he was offering a popular meeting room catchphrase to fellow quarterbacks and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. But even if Bradford didn’t say it, he might as well have.
For someone who hasn’t played in a live football game in 300 days, Bradford’s return against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday afternoon was mostly a success. If Bradford didn’t want to boldly announce his return, his head coach had no problems doing so on his behalf.
“Anybody that had questions about Sam’s condition, his physical condition, I think they were answered,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “I was very pleased with his performance in the brief amount of time that he played. You see he had the fastball and the great throw to Brian [Quick] and also to Lance. I’m happy with his game. I know he’s excited that thing is clearly behind him now and we’ll move forward. That was encouraging.”
Bradford didn’t move the Rams up and down the field on his two series with the ease of Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers but that wasn’t necessarily the goal considering Bradford hadn’t played in a game since Oct. 20, 2013. No, the main objective for Bradford on Saturday afternoon had nothing to do with statistics and everything to do with getting him used to being back in the mix.
Fisher called Bradford off after two series and 18 snaps — 12 pass plays and six run plays. Four more plays were wiped away by penalty.
Along the way, Bradford didn’t come under too much pressure as the Rams clearly made a point of protecting him with quick, short throws, though some would argue that’s just business as usual. Either way, Bradford held up just fine physically, only really taking one hard hit courtesy of Green Bay linebacker Julius Peppers.
“I knew I was going to take a hit or two today, that’s just part of the game,” Bradford said. “But it’s always nice to get that first one under your belt knowing that everything is going to be OK.”
That Bradford’s final stat line looked the way it did was really just a bonus. He finished 9 of 12 for 101 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions for a rating of 127.4.
The first Bradford-led drive came with some ups and downs as he knocked off a little bit of rust. He hung in the pocket in the face of pressure to convert a fourth-down pass to tight end Jared Cook for 5 yards.
Two penalties and a short incompletion later, Bradford took his first deep shot when receiver Kenny Britt came open down the right sideline. The throw was a beat late and too wide, falling incomplete and led to a punt two snaps later.
“I just missed it outside a little bit,” Bradford said. “It was an opportunity for a big play, just got to beep it inbounds. I like the decision, just have to give him a better ball.”
Whatever rust might have lingered on that misfire disappeared on Bradford’s second series. On the team’s lone scoring drive, Bradford went 4 of 5 for 63 yards and a touchdown. His two most impressive completions came within those four connections, including a 41-yarder to Quick on a ball that was a little high but still on target and the touchdown to Kendricks.
On the touchdown pass, Bradford fired over the middle of the field to a seemingly covered Kendricks, but the ball had enough velocity on it that it cut through Green Bay’s defense and led Kendricks to an open spot.
Bradford chose not to share what he actually shouted to the sideline in celebration, but he definitely sent a message.
“In the quarterback room we’ve kind of got something we say and I looked over at Schotty and gave him one of those,” Bradford said. “So, it was just kind of a signal to him.”
For Bradford, it’s a long road between the second preseason game and a successful regular season, but Saturday’s performance was clearly a step in the right direction.
August 17, 2014 at 1:03 am #4158RamBillParticipant
Bernie: Bradford holds up well in preseason debut
• Bernie MiklaszGiven the funhouse-mirror nature of preseason football, it’s difficult to tell the difference between true form and distortion. But in his first exposure to tackle football since last Oct. 20, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford had no problems with his surgically-repaired knee … or his fastball.
Bradford’s skills were intact Saturday against the Green Bay Packers. His confidence was firm. His body was strong. He got walloped — hold your breath — and got up. Bradford’s timing was in synch with the speed of the game. Bradford misfired on an early deep throw — hey, he’s getting warm — but shook it off to fire a 41-yard strike to wide receiver Brian Quick.
Back inside the Edward Jones Dome theater for his first rehearsal of 2014, Bradford was sharp in completing nine of 12 passes for 101 yards. The bullet points included a precision-zipped 11-yard touchdown to tight end Lance Kendricks that completed Bradford’s shift.
“It felt good,” Bradford said at halftime, via the Rams’ media-relations staff. “It was nothing new, I’ve been here before. I think for everyone else it’s probably a bigger deal for me to get back out on the field. But it was nice to get out there in a live game, feel the pass rush, get the ball out of my hand, and go out there and execute the way that we did. I thought it was good.”
There’s no dissent here. This was one small step for a quarterback, and one giant leap for the Rams’ peace of mind. The next mission: ushering Bradford safely through the remainder of the preseason haze and daze, and into the clarified reality of the Sept. 7 regular-season opener.
I’ve seen too many junk exhibition games to get geeked about the visuals. But one interesting glimmer could be spotted during Saturday’s Rams-Packers exercise: the Rams made an attempt to get vertical in the passing game.
Because this is the preseason, I don’t know if this was a preview of coming attractions, or just the sensible business of giving Bradford an opportunity to loosen his right arm.
Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer believe in running the football, and their offenses have a history of success on the ground. The power-ball approach makes sense to cover the rugged terrain of the NFC West.
But the Rams need to go vertical more often in 2014. Defenses know the Rams’ preferred style of play and will obviously anchor in to stop the run. The line of scrimmage and immediate vicinity figures to be crowded with defenders. The Rams must counter that by stretching the field — go north, young men — instead of always playing in traffic where nasty defenders roam.
According to the data at the Advanced Football Analytics web site, around 17 percent of Bradford’s passing attempts over the past two seasons traveled 15 yards or more through the air. Only a few NFL quarterbacks had a lower percentage.
In Schottenheimer’s two seasons, the Rams rank 24th among the 32 NFL offenses in yards per passing attempt. They like to throw the ball short, and they like to throw the ball wide. These numbers — and many others — make it easy to come to a conclusion on Schottenheimer’s passing-game philosophy.
I’ll leave it to Aaron Schatz, editor of the respected Football Outsiders, who offered this observation-quip to the Turf Show Times site: “Schottenheimer seems to think you can stretch the field in two ways — horizontally and also horizontally.”
This isn’t all about Schottenheimer. Due to several factors — primarily a history of loose pass protection, and the parade of so-so receivers that struggle to beat press coverage — Bradford often checks down early to dump the ball off to easy-access targets for short gains. (Worse, his completion percentage on shorter throws isn’t all that hot.)
Schottenheimer and his QB must adjust their mindset this season — and I think we’ll see it happen. The Rams’ base will be on the ground, but I believe we’ll see them extend their passing game. They have to, or the offense can’t grow.
I’m bullish on the Rams’ running game, but the grind-it-out strategy would be even better if the Rams avoid being predictable. They have to make defenses respect the threat of the deep ball.
The running game should help the cause. As I’ve mentioned before, Bradford has done quite well on play-action passes during his NFL career.
This is where wide receiver Kenny Britt looms as a potential VIP Ram in 2014. When Britt was in peak form at Tennessee in 2009 and 2010 — and working for Fisher — he emerged as a dangerous downfield presence.
In 2010, Britt had the league’s best catch rate on throws of 20 yards or longer, and finished third with six touchdown receptions of 20-plus yards. The entire Rams’ receiving group, including tight ends, had only two TD catches of 20-plus yards last season.
Britt is trying to revive a career beset by injuries and off-field shenanigans. While it’s true that Britt is having an impressive camp, he still has a lot to prove. Fisher was smart to take a chance on Britt. It was a low-risk gamble that could pay off big.
I’ve seen analysts trash Bradford’s ability to throw the deep pass. That’s fine, but we saw him go there in 2012 in hooking up with then-rookie wideout Chris Givens. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradford ranked just outside the top 10 among NFL quarterbacks in accuracy on passes that traveled 20-plus yards that year. The arm strength is there.
It comes down to three things: first, Schottenheimer has to think vertical more than horizontal. Second, Bradford has to reestablish the confidence to take aim downfield. And third, the Rams need a receiver to make those deep connections on time.
We saw flashes of that in Saturday’s game. It looked good, and so did Bradford. But was it real?
August 17, 2014 at 1:15 am #4160RamBillParticipantBradford is good, but Packers are better
• By Jim ThomasThe Rams were little more than a speed bump for Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay’s no-huddle offense Saturday.
Despite lots of work on the running game during the practice week, the Rams managed only 78 yards and 2.9 yards a carry on the ground.
Run defense? Not good enough, with the Rams allowing 125 yards and 4.2 yards per carry to Eddie Lacy and Co.
Penalties? Plenty. The Rams were in double figures again, with 10 penalties for 76 yards, although it should be noted that there’s an epidemic of flags throughout the NFL this preseason.
But the most important thing to come out of the contest, played in a half-empty Edward Jones Dome, was the play of quarterback Sam Bradford. Easy enough to overlook in a 21-7 loss were Bradford’s nine completions in 12 attempts, good for 101 yards, a touchdown, and a passer
rating of 127.4.
“I was very pleased with his performance in the brief amount of time that he played,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “You could see, he has his fastball. It was a great throw to Brian (Quick) and also to Lance (Kendricks).
Bradford threw a strike to Quick on a deep-in pattern on the Rams’ second possession of the game. Quick got some yards after the catch, making it a 41-yard gain to the Green Bay 35 before being brought down. Six plays later, Bradford worked through his progressions and found Kendricks over the middle for an 11-yard touchdown.
Kendricks was blanketed by Packers safety Micah Hyde in coverage, so the throw had to be perfect — or close to it.
“To be honest, we’ve called that play quite a bit in training camp, and I’m not sure the ball has ever gone there,” Bradford said. “But it was just a look where their safety was playing outside and Lance did a great job of getting around the ‘backer and inside the safety. … That’s not an easy catch.”
After that throw, Bradford was done for the day. As was the case with Rodgers and the Packers, Bradford played only two series before making way for Shaun Hill, Garrett Gilbert, and Austin Davis.
Bradford wasn’t perfect. Among his three incompletions was a deep sideline heave to Kenny Britt who had gotten behind the Packers’ secondary on the Rams’ first possession. But the throw was a little wide and ended up a couple of feet out of bounds. Otherwise, it might have been a touchdown.
“I just missed it outside a little bit,” Bradford said. “It was an opportunity for a big play — just gotta keep it inbounds.”
But among the 22 plays Bradford was on the field, two others said more about his night than any other completion or miss.
Three plays before the miss to Britt, the Rams faced a fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 43. Fisher likes to practice situational football when possible in the preseason, and in this instance he decided to go for it.
With pass rushers surrounding him in the pocket, Bradford stayed patient, waiting for tight end Jared Cook to clear on a short crossing pattern.
If Bradford was worried about his surgically repaired left knee, he might’ve thrown early or even bailed out. Instead, he calmly completed a five-yard pass for a first down.
“We had confidence in him,” Fisher said. “He knew what to do. He knew what was going to unfold. We liked the look. He had options, he read it out, and made a good throw.”
Another play of note came on the second Rams possession, just two plays after the big catch by Quick. On second-and-7 from the Green Bay 32, eight-time Pro Bowler Julius Peppers got around rookie Greg Robinson and walloped Bradford from the blindside. (Robinson started at left tackle before moving to left guard later.)
Was Fisher wincing at the sight of Peppers moving in like a shark about devour its prey?
“No, no,” Fisher said. “Sam’s taken a lot of hits in his young career in the pocket. He pops up and goes. His injury (against Carolina) was completely different. He was out of the pocket, he was on the boundary. It was something weird that happened.”
Bradford did pop up quickly, as if almost telling the crowd and the coaching: Nothing to see here. I’m fine; totally fine.
“I think it was good for everyone to see,” Bradford said. “I’m gonna take hits this year, and I’m gonna get up. That’s what I’ve done in the past. But to get that first hit under my belt and know that everything’s gonna be OK, it was a big relief.”
Other than Bradford’s play — and the play of Quick and Kendricks — there wasn’t much to get excited about Saturday. On offense, the Rams couldn’t budge the line of scrimmage in the running game.
Starter Zac Stacy had only six yards on six carries while the starting offense was on the field, albeit a starting unit missing starters Jake Long at left tackle and Rodger Saffold at right guard.
“The Packers’ front seven is pretty good, pretty athletic,” Stacy said. “So they made plays. The main thing is just we want to keep improving. We know what we’re capable of in the running game and the passing game.”
On the other side of the ball, Rodgers toyed with the Rams’ defense, completing 11 of 13 passes for 128 yards in his two series, leading the Packers to a touchdown and a field goal.
For the newcomers on the St. Louis defense, they got a taste of what it’s like to play an elite quarterback. Rodgers bought time with his feet when needed, and as is almost always the case, displayed pinpoint accuracy.
Rookie nickel back Lamarcus Joyner struggled to keep up. On the Packers’ opening drive, Joyner appeared to get tangled up in the end zone while Rodgers avoided the rush by moving the pocket to the right. He then rifled a strike to Randall Cobb in the back of the end zone for a three-yard touchdown pass on 2nd-and-goal.
“I’ve just got to work my scrambling technique,” Joyner said. “If the quarterback gets out of the pocket you’ve got to plaster (stay with) your guy. I kind of had a mental error. That’s something we can correct.”
Nonetheless, Joyner was grateful for the experience.
“With a guy like Aaron Rodgers running the offense, he’s pretty much the commander-in-chief of that offense,” he said. “They go at his pace.”
August 17, 2014 at 2:06 am #4168RamBillParticipantRams notes: Pead out for season
• By Jim ThomasIt looks like the Rams have lost running back Isaiah Pead for the season with a knee injury. And even before Saturday’s preseason contest against Green Bay, they lost center/guard Barrett Jones for an extended period — possibly for the season — with back surgery.
Pead suffered what is believed to be a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee returning a first quarter kickoff after a Packers touchdown.
“It’s very tough for him,” coach Jeff Fisher said.
Pead missed the preseason opener against New Orleans with what was thought to be a bruised hand. Turns out it was a fractured finger, Fisher revealed after the Rams’ 21-7 loss to Green Bay.
“He was fighting back — he had surgery on his finger,” Fisher said. “We pinned it. He was excited about getting an opportunity (vs. Green Bay). It’s unfortunate that that happened. So we’ll just hope for the best as far as that’s concerned.”
It appeared that Pead’s foot got caught in the turf as he made a jump-cut on a 33-yard return. There was no contact on the play.
The Rams kept five running backs last season and still have five healthy backs on the roster in Zac Stacy, Benny Cunningham, Tre Mason, Chase Reynolds and Trey Watts.
Meanwhile, Fisher confirmed that Jones, a highly-decorated lineman at Alabama and a fourth-round draft pick in 2012, underwent back surgery. Jones experienced lower back issues earlier in training camp, and the Rams tried to see if the back would settle down. But he underwent surgery about a week ago, and now the Rams must decide what to do with him roster-wise. They have a couple of weeks to decide.
They can place him on the injured reserve list ending his season. They can place him on the injured reserve/designated for return list, in which case he would be eligible to return sometime during the second half of the season if healthy. Or they could simply carry him on the 53-man roster.
Jones’ rookie season in 2012 amounted to the NFL version of a redshirt year because of foot surgery that occurred after Alabama’s national championship victory over Notre Dame. He reported to training camp this year with improved upper body strength and less body fat, with the potential to push for playing time at both center and guard.
The back surgery puts all that on hold. Mizzou product Tim Barnes is next in line at center behind starter Scott Wells, who saw his first action of the preseason Saturday.
“Tim’s done well,” Fisher said. “Tim did well last year when Scott was down for a while. He’s had a great camp; a little setback with neck spasms the last couple days but all indications are that he played pretty well (vs. Green Bay).
“We got Scott back in for 15-20 plays,” Fisher said. “And Mike Person got some snaps, too, at center.”
Person started the Green Bay game at left tackle, then switched to left guard, and finished at center. The Rams also have center Demetrius Rhaney, a seventh-round pick from Tennessee State, but Rhaney suffered a knee injury in practice Thursday and it’s not known when he’ll return.
SAM VS. WESTBROOKS
The Rams had three sacks Saturday and two were made by rookies battling each other for what looks like a fifth and final roster spot at defensive end. Undrafted Ethan Westbrooks of West Texas A&M, who was playing with the second-team defense, sacked Packers backup quarterback Scott Tolzien late in the second quarter to force a Green Bay punt.
According to unofficial press box stats, Westbrooks had four tackles, one tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries.
Sam, the all-American from the University of Missouri, had a sack midway through the fourth quarter, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal. Press box stats showed Sam with two tackles, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hurries.
TREY AND TRE
After sitting out the preseason opener with a hamstring injury, undrafted rookie Watts made his Rams debut. Watts, a running back from Tulsa, carried three times for 19 yards, and caught a pass for eight yards. He also did a nice job on a blitz pickup.
Third-round draft pick Mason had another heavy workload by preseason standards, with 12 carries for 30 yards. But Mason had a couple issues with pass protection, allowing a couple of blitzers to get past him and into the backfield.
SITTING IT OUT
Five starters sat out Saturday’s contest. On offense: LT Jake Long (knee) and RG Rodger Saffold (stinger). On defense: DT Michael Brockers (ankle), LB James Laurinaitis (ankle), and CB Janoris Jenkins (hamstring). Last week, nine Rams starters didn’t play against New Orleans.
Also sitting for the Rams: CB Darren Woodard, S Matt Daniels, FB Kadeem Jones (hamstring), DE Sammy Brown (calf), C Rhaney (knee), C/G Jones, G Brandon Washington, and DE William Hayes.
RAM-BLINGS
Saturday marked the first afternoon home preseason game for the Rams since the move to St. Louis in 1995.
• The Rams have played Green Bay only five times in the preseason, with the exhibition series tied 2-2 entering Saturday’s game.
• Next up, the Rams hit the road for Game 3 of the preseason, playing at Cleveland on Aug. 23 in a 7 p.m. (St. Louis time) kickoff.
August 17, 2014 at 2:12 am #4170RamBillParticipantYoung defenders try to make their mark with the Rams
• By Joe LyonsCody Davis finished as one of the Rams’ top tacklers in the team’s loss to New Orleans Saints to open the preseason, coming up with four tackles and an assist.
But Davis, a second-year safety from Texas Tech, was far from satisfied.
“In that first game, I missed some tackles and made way too many mental mistakes,’’ the 25-year-old said following Saturday’s 21-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers at the Edward Jones Dome. “I just felt like today was better, much better. We’re going to have to look at it on tape — it always seems to be somewhere in between how you felt about your play and how it actually grades out on film — but right now, I feel a lot better about today than I did about last week.’’
The 6-foot-1, 206-pound Davis, who was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2013 draft, made four tackles and also broke up a pass near the goal line late in the third quarter of Saturday’s loss. Earlier in the third quarter, Davis came up with the game’s lone turnover, scooping up a fumble near midfield after Green Bay’s DuJuan Harris was stripped of the ball by Rams’ rookie defensive back Lamarcus Joyner.
“We finally got the ball out,’’ Davis said. “Joyner did a great job of stripping it and it popped right off the turf for me.’’
After four weeks on the practice squad a year ago, Davis was promoted and contributed mainly on special teams as a rookie. He ended up tied for third on the team with six special-team tackles in 2013.
Davis struggled in the preseason opener against New Orleans. On a play that stood out, he filled a gap to deliver a shot to Saints’ back Mark Ingram, only to have the ex-Alabama star bounce the play outside and continue to the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown.
NFL teams do not do much live tackling in practice and that, Davis said, takes some getting used to.
“You definitely have to shake off the rust during these early preseason games,’’ he said. “Since we don’t take guys to the ground in practice, you don’t really get a chance to simulate wrapping up and finishing plays the way you need to.
“It definitely forced me to focus a little more on my technique in practice this week. On top of that, sometimes you just try too hard and I think that was part of my problem in that first game.’’
Davis said he’ll continue to work and fine-tune his game as the Rams prepare for Saturday’s preseason game with the Browns in Cleveland.
“We had some good communication out there today,’’ he said. “Things were flying around out there, especially in their hurry-up offense, so a big part of my job is to make sure that we get the play called and that everybody is on the same page. Definitely working on quickness and communication.’’
Davis wasn’t the only young defender looking to step up his game against the Packers. Marcus Roberson, an undrafted free agent from Florida, started at corner in place of injured Janoris Jenkins and finished with one tackle and several pass defenses Saturday. On a fourth-and-goal from the Rams’ 5 late in the third quarter, Roberson’s tight man-to-man coverage forced the Packers’ Andrew Quarless to push off, giving the ball back to the Rams.
Greg Reid, another rookie free agent cornerback, had three tackles, including one for loss, and a pair of pass defenses against the Packers. Eureka High product Maurice Alexander, a safety selected in the fourth round of May’s draft, chipped in with four tackles and an assist.
“We’re all out there battling and trying to make a name for ourselves, to get the attention of the coaching staff,’’ said linebacker Phillip Steward. “There’s pressure, but you just have to put aside the distractions and focus on playing football.
“But for me, just getting to play again has been a blast.’’
Signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2013 draft, Steward went down with a torn Achilles tendon just before training camp a year ago and spent last season on injured reserve. Saturday, he had a tackle, a sack and a quarterback hurry.
“Last year was tough — the rehab is six to eight months and I’d really never been hurt before — I didn’t know how to adjust,’’ the University of Houston product said. “And watching games, that was the worst. The first game back, against the Saints, I was nervous and then, watching the film, I could see that I was playing timid. But this game, I wasn’t nervous or nothing, so I wasn’t holding anything back. I was out there trying to make plays and having a lot of fun.
“I got a lot more time on special teams today and felt like I was getting better with each rep. Each time down the field, I made sure to get my guy down or at least make sure he wasn’t anywhere near the play.’’
August 17, 2014 at 9:39 am #4186RamBillParticipantW2W4 Revisited: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10595/w2w4-revisited-st-louis-rams-2
ST. LOUIS — Looking back at three things to watch from the St. Louis Rams’ 21-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Saturday afternoon.
1. Bradford’s return
Quarterback Sam Bradford’s return to the field for the first time in 300 days was mostly a success. Yes, he missed a throw to an open Kenny Britt down the right sideline, but he mostly stood tall in the pocket and delivered accurate throws for most of the day.
Bradford took only one big hit courtesy of Green Bay linebacker Julius Peppers but got up quickly and went back to work. In fact, the play Peppers hit him was Bradford’s only incompletion on the team’s lone scoring drive.
For the day, Bradford went 0 of 12 for 101 yards with a touchdown for a rating of 127.4 His touchdown pass to tight end Lance Kendricks was particularly impressive as Bradford threaded the needle into tight coverage.
2. Sorting the secondary
Starting cornerback Trumaine Johnson returned after sitting out the preseason opener, but the Rams were still thin at corner again without the services of starter Janoris Jenkins and key backups Brandon McGee and Darren Woodard. More surprising was the absence of rookie E.J. Gaines after a strong performance in the opener. Gaines left a practice earlier in the week with an apparent injury but returned to that workout and didn’t seem to have any problems. He ended up sitting out Saturday apparently as a precaution.
For the second consecutive week, that left plenty of opportunities for young corners such as Marcus Roberson, who actually started opposite Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner and Greg Reid.
Joyner led the team with six tackles and added a pass defended and a forced fumble though he had some rough moments in coverage against Green Bay’s top offense. Reid had some good moments with three tackles and a pair of passes defended. Roberson was harder to find, making just a single tackle but had some good moments in coverage.
3. Cleaning up mistakes
At first blush, the Rams appeared to have a better tackling performance this week than last week, though the defense struggled in that regard early on and there really wasn’t anywhere to go but up after last week. Safety Cody Davis, in particular, was much better than he was against the Saints.
But coach Jeff Fisher was more concerned with the continued penalty issues. The Rams shaved two off their total of 12 from last week, which still left them at a whopping 10 for 76 yards. That’s actually right in line with the league average in this preseason but still an area Fisher would like to see improve.
Rams preseason television broadcaster Andrew Siciliano even mentioned that Fisher dangled an early end to training camp as a reward should his team be penalized seven times or less against the Packers. Alas, the Rams will have another week of camp before breaking.
August 17, 2014 at 9:41 am #4187
znModeratorFor the day, Bradford went 0 of 12 for 101 yards with a touchdown for a rating of 127.4
Zero of 12 for 101 yards? Man that’s some passing game. Hard for defenders when basically you don’t have any throws–yet gain yards anyway.
Who needs completions. I’ll take the yards and the TD.
August 17, 2014 at 3:35 pm #4227RamBillParticipantThree Rams who didn’t help themselves
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10612/three-rams-who-didnt-help-themselves
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams dropped their second preseason game to the Green Bay Packers 21-7 on Saturday afternoon. Along the way, some players helped themselves, while others did not.
Earlier today, we looked at three who helped themselves. Now, here’s three who struggled against the Packers.
1. The backups on the offensive line
Considering the lack of running room against Green Bay, it might be unfair to leave the starters off of this list. But there are many questions about the lack of depth on the offensive line, and those questions remain unanswered after two preseason games. Linemen Sean Hooey and Mitchell Van Dyk struggled the most as they worked with the third-team offense. In one sequence late in the game, Green Bay linebacker Jayrone Elliott blew past Hooey on three of four plays for sacks.
That’s not to say all of the backup linemen struggled but finding a standout isn’t easy at this point. Despite line coach Paul Boudreau’s ability to coach up lesser talent, depth on the offensive line should remain a serious concern moving forward.
2. Tre Mason
The rookie running back finished with just 30 yards on 12 carries, an average of 2.5 yards per attempt. Considering he was running behind the aforementioned linemen, that shouldn’t be cause for much concern. What was more of a red flag were his struggles with helping in pass protection. Mason whiffed on blitz pickup a couple of times, including once against safety Haha Clinton-Dix that led to a sack. Mason actually had a nice pickup against the Saints last week, but that memory was quickly erased with a rough outing against the Packers. It’ll be hard for him to earn much playing time above guys like Zac Stacy and Benny Cunningham until he gets that squared away.
3. Chris Givens
Once thought to be the one receiver on the roster who would play and play a lot this year, Givens has been surpassed by Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin. He’s playing in the preseason with the second-and third-team offenses and isn’t doing much to stand out when he does play. Against the Saints, Givens was targeted twice and was unable to come up with a catch for the second week in a row. He had a chance to make a play on one jump ball against a defender but couldn’t come down with it. Givens isn’t getting many opportunities, and when they come, they’re with backup quarterbacks. That’s going to make it tough for him to move up the depth chart.
August 17, 2014 at 3:37 pm #4228RamBillParticipantThree Rams who helped themselves
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10609/three-rams-who-helped-themselves
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams dropped their second preseason game to the Green Bay Packers by a count of 21-7 Saturday afternoon. Along the way, some players helped themselves, while others did not.
We’ll take a look at those who didn’t later, but for now, here’s three players who either helped themselves prepare for the regular season, bolstered their case for a roster spot or both with strong performances against the Packers.
1. Sam Bradford
We’ve covered Bradford’s return performance at length, but it’s worth noting again in this space because he’s the most important player in the Rams offense. Bradford not only made it through the game healthy but was mostly sharp in delivering accurate, on-time throws save for a miss to open receiver Kenny Britt down the sideline.
Bradford finished 9-of-12 for 101 yards and a touchdown for a passer rating of 127.4. His touchdown pass to tight end Lance Kendricks was a particularly welcome sight as he put a fastball into a tight window while standing tall in the pocket.
2. Ethan Westbrooks and Michael Sam
These two have been battling for a potential ninth roster spot on the defensive line all through camp, but both continued building a case for that spot on Saturday. Westbrooks was a bit more active than Sam against the Packers and actually played with the second-team defense, while Sam waited until the third group entered in the second half.
Westbrooks played both end spots and lined up inside on occasion in his 39 snaps and was effective no matter where he played. He finished with four tackles, a sack and two quarterback hits and pushed the pocket a handful of times beyond that. Sam played 27 snaps and posted two tackles, a sack and two quarterback hits while also generating enough pressure to set up linebacker Phillip Steward’s sack.
This competition looks like it’s really just heating up.
3. Cody Davis
Davis had a really rough first outing against New Orleans in the preseason opener, missing multiple tackles despite being in position to make the play. But Davis rebounded well against the Packers with four tackles and a fumble recovery on 28 snaps. Davis looked more comfortable against Green Bay and looks to have the inside track on a fourth roster spot at safety. He already factored into the 53-man discussion because of his value on special teams, but if he can continue to perform on defense more like he did against the Packers than he did against the Saints, he should be able to solidify his spot.
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