Washington hopes to seize opportunity
Joe Lyons
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/washington-hopes-to-seize-opportunity/article_81f047c2-b412-56a4-bd91-001ee7b6bbc2.html
Rams offensive lineman Brandon Washington expected to see plenty of action in last weekend’s preseason opener against the Raiders in Oakland.
He just didn’t expect it to come so soon.
“Going into a game like that, you have an idea of when you’re going in, figuring the starters would get at least two series,’’ the 27-year-old said. “I was actually down toward the end zone, watching from behind the offense to see what the defense was trying to do against us and the next thing I know — what was it three or four plays? — and I hear (offensive line coach Paul Boudreau) calling me.
“I was like, ‘Oh, snap.’’’
On the game’s fourth play from scrimmage, veteran Rodger Saffold went down with an apparent shoulder injury and, just like that, Washington joined the Rams’ starting unit at left guard.
“I started off kind of slow, a little bit of rust, I guess,’’ said the 6-foot-2, 318-pound Washington, who was beaten by the Raiders’ Shelby Harris for a 14-yard sack to halt the Rams’ second drive. “It took a few plays, but I felt like I finished strong. As the game went on, I was more comfortable with the position and able to get my feet under myself. I was able to slow the game down mentally and just perform.’’
Washington was on the field for 40 offensive snaps, tying tight end Alex Bayer for the team lead. And, with Saffold ruled out of Sunday’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Washington should again see plenty of action.
“It’s definitely the opportunity I’ve been waiting for,’’ said Washington, who has played in just one NFL regular-season game since signing with the Rams as a free agent in September 2012. “I know I can play the game, physically and mentally, so now it’s just a matter of taking what I’ve learned and showing the coaches I can be counted on.
“For me, the key is consistency and pad level and I’m working on those every single day in practice.’’
A Miami native and University of Miami product, Washington was drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round of the 2012 draft and released at the end of camp. He’s been with the Rams since then, spending most of the time on the practice squad.
“I know the situation. I know the business part of it,’’ Washington said when asked about the Rams’ 2015 draft, which added offensive linemen Rob Havenstein (second round), Jamon Brown (third round), Andrew Donnal (fourth round), Cody Wichmann (sixth round) and Isaiah Battle (fifth round, supplemental). “In every camp, you’re competing for a job. It doesn’t matter if it’s a rookie or a veteran, the key is going out every day and doing what you can to improve.
“Because I’ve been here, my strength is knowing the system and the playbook and that hopefully allows me to play fast and physical. I’ve worked hard for this chance and now hopefully I can get out there and do the job.’’
AN ADDED ZEBRA
During the 13 games this week, the NFL will experiment with an eighth official. Since the side judge was added in 1978, the league has used seven officials.
“We are going to look at positioning the eighth official in a couple of different areas,’’ said Dean Blandino, NFL vice president of officiating. “We want to try to fill some of the holes that may happen in specific situations over the course of the game.’’
In the Rams-Titans game, the extra official will take a position in the offensive backfield along with the referee and umpire; he will focus on the center pre-snap and then shift his attention to the guard and tackle on that side of the field.
In other games, the extra official will be positioned about 20 yards off the line of scrimmage in the defensive backfield. From there, he’ll focus on the interior line, with a particular emphasis on spotting defensive holding penalties.
“All Division I conferences right now have the eighth official, so (the NFL) felt it would be good to experiment with it in a couple preseason games,’’ Rams coach Jeff Fisher said following Thursday’s practice at Rams Park. “The Division I conferences have put the extra official back where the old umpire was, back behind the defense, so we’re going to have him a little deeper. But we’ll move him around. They’re working on the mechanics, so I think it will be good. It will be a good test for us.’’
RAM-BLINGS
The Rams put wide receiver Isiah Ferguson on the waived/injured list Friday. An undrafted rookie free agent from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Ferguson tweeted about his torn ACL and meniscus earlier Friday. The 6-foot-5, 218-pounder was on the field for eight plays on offense and two more on special teams in the Rams’ 18-3 loss at Oakland last weekend.
.
