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October 1, 2015 at 12:28 am #31478
znModeratorPractice Report 9/30: Gurley’s Ready for More
Myles Simmons
The production and result were not the desired outcomes, but from a health standpoint, running back Todd Gurley’s debut on Sunday was a success.
“I was fine, I felt good,” Gurley said of his recovery on Monday. “Just a little bit of soreness. It was nothing too crazy.”
As you might expect, the running back said he’s glad to have the ballgame out of the way.
“It definitely felt good just to get that first one out,” Gurley said.
While Gurley tallied only 9 yards on six carries and had one 5-yard reception, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said he was encouraged by what he saw out of the rookie running back.
“I thought he made good run reads,” Cignetti said. “I thought he was decisive. I thought he had good vision.”
That vision is likely a factor for why head coach Jeff Fisher said on Monday that Gurley was close to breaking off a few long runs. Gurley said he noticed the same when he reviewed the game film.
“About two or three runs like that,” Gurley said. “But, you know, it’s football. It’s just like coach harps on — it’s the little details. So that’s why we practice and hopefully we can take that over to the game.”
And when it comes to those close runs, offensive lineman Rodger Saffold said he thinks it’s only a matter of time before they are executed properly.
“He’ll get there. Things are going to get there,” Saffold said. “Things are going to open up because it’s just one or two small things from breaking open.”
Quarterback Nick Foles said Wednesday he has been impressed with what he’s seen from Gurley in practice. The quarterback praised the rookie’s maturity, calling him a smooth running back who will be an explosive runner.
“He doesn’t run like a rookie. He runs like a guy who is sure of himself and knows who he is as a player,” Foles said. “He’s coming off of an injury as well and he’s playing his first game in the NFL, so I know there’s a lot of nerves, but each and every day he comes out to practice and works his butt off. He looks great in practice, and I know he’s going to show it on the field.”
One of the adjustments Gurley has made is running in an outside zone scheme. The running back said he didn’t do any of that in college, and he’s getting better at playing in it.
“It just takes repetition,” Gurley said. “Just keep getting reps at it an looking at other teams’ outside zone schemes and learning from that and watching film with each other, with the O-line. So we’ll get it down pat, get this thing rolling soon.”
If there is one improvement Gurley wants to make immediately, it’s breaking tackles. The running back sounded disappointed he wasn’t able to get past one player into the next level on Sunday.
“It’s the NFL and all, but for me, I’ve got a mindset whether it’s the NFL or not, I shouldn’t let one defender tackle me,” Gurley said.
And while Gurley’s looking forward to getting back on the field on Sunday, he’s not going to push for more touches.
“You can have one carry and it’s for 80 yards,” Gurley said, adding the most important thing for him is the team winning. “I’ll let the coaches decide that. I don’t call the plays.”
INJURY REPORT
There were five Rams listed on the injury report on Wednesday, all of whom did not practice.
Running back Chase Reynolds and defensive end Eugene Sims are closer to returning, but still sidelined with knee injuries. Safety Maurice Alexander suffered a groin injury in Sunday’s game. As Fisher said Tuesday, wide receiver Kenny Britt is dealing with a minor shoulder issue and did not practice Wednesday either. And linebacker James Laurinaitis received a rest day.
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
With strong play in all three phases, the Cardinals have jumped out to a 3-0 start to their season. Offensively, a significant reason why they are executing so well is the re-emergence of quarterback Carson Palmer.
Palmer suffered the second torn ACL of his career in 2014, but has been able to come back in even better shape, according to Arizona head coach Bruce Arians.
“I tell you, it’s amazing. Sports science today is so unbelievable,” Arians said Wednesday. “He’s probably fitter and stronger and better fit than he was when he was 30 or 31. Just the things that he did with his body, his core is so much stronger. His legs are obviously stronger, but it’s also helped his arm.”
Palmer has completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 803 yards with nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. We’ll have more on Palmer and the Cardinals’ offense in our Opponent Breakdown post later in the week.
October 1, 2015 at 12:44 am #31479znModeratorNo Excuses For Rams. Just Look at Arizona
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/09/30/no-excuses-for-rams-just-look-at-arizona/
When the Rams released running back Isaiah Pead, the 50th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, it was the latest example of how the regime of GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher has failed to maximize the opportunity to transform a losing team into a winner.
isaiah peadThe Rams released RB Isaiah Pead on Tuesday.
No question, Snead and Fisher have improved this roster after taking charge of a team that had gone 15-65 in the five-season stretch (2007-2011) that preceded their arrival. And in some areas, the upgrades are substantial, especially on the defensive side. But the point is, Snead-Fisher didn’t take full advantage of having more draft picks (37) in their hands than all but two teams since 2012. (San Francisco had 40 picks; Minnesota 39.) And over the past four drafts, the Rams had more selections in the first three rounds (17) than any NFL team.
The 2012 draft is telling. The Rams had four of the first 50 choices overall and came away with defensive tackle Michael Brockers (14th), wide receiver Brian Quick (33rd), cornerback Janoris Jenkins (39th) and Pead (50.)
Brockers is a good player. Jenkins is talented, and he’s made some big plays, but he’s also suffered some burn marks with his aggressive, gambling style. Quick, a non-factor, has been excluded from the game-day roster over the first three weeks. And Pead was a flat-out bust. A 50 percent “hit” rate on top 50 draft choices doesn’t qualify as a success.
It’s fair to second-guess the decision to trade down from the No. 45 spot to the No. 50 slot to select Pead; by doing so the Rams bypassed a chance to draft future All-Pro middle linebacker Bobby Wagner who was taken by Seattle at No. 47. And wideout Alshon Jeffery went to Chicago on the 45th selection; he’s pulled in 2,999 receiving yards and 20 touchdown passes for the Bears.
Snead and Fisher deserve credit for pulling the Rams out of the muck. They went 7-8-1 in 2012, and followed up with a 7-9 mark in 2013. The progress was understandably viewed as a build-up to a breakout season in 2014, but the Rams stalled and went 6-10. And with upcoming road games at Arizona and Green Bay the Rams are looking at a strong possibility of staggering out to a 1-4 start in 2015.
Instead of winning more frequently in their third and fourth seasons under Fisher-Snead, the Rams have gone in the other direction. They’re losing more often, having dropped five of their last six games since late last season. They’re 7-12 since the beginning of 2014, mostly held back by a stagnant offense.
Instability at the quarterback position in 2013-2014 was certainly a factor that shouldn’t be overlooked. But with quarterback Nick Foles in place — joined by wide receivers, running backs, tight ends and offensive linemen brought in by Snead-Fisher — the Rams should be trending favorably on offense.
jeff fisher-7Under Fisher, the Rams are 21-29-1.
After all, the Rams have invested 21 draft choices in the offense during the last four drafts — and supplemented the draft-first strategy with prominent free-agent signings and the Foles deal to stimulate their attack. But after three weeks, the Rams are last in the NFL in offensive points from scrimmage, with 43.
Snead-Fisher are into their fourth cycle of growing and developing the roster. But for the fourth consecutive year, the Rams entered 2015 season as the NFL’s youngest team.
The Perpetual Rebuilding Process is still in effect.
Question: why?
The Arizona Cardinals didn’t need four seasons to construct a winner.
In 2012, Snead-Fisher’s first season in St. Louis, the Cardinals went 5-11 and finished in last place in the NFC West.
After the ’12 season Cardinals team president and de facto owner Michael Bidwill decided to install new leadership at the top of the football operation. Bidwill promoted Steve Keim to GM and hired Bruce Arians as head coach. (Keim, by the way, was interviewed for the job that went to Snead.)
Despite starting a year later than Fisher-Snead, the Keim-Arians combination has guided their team to the league’s fifth-best winning percentage (.686) since relaunching the Cardinals in 2013.
The Cardinals are 24-11 over that time and made the playoffs last season.
The Rams are 14-21 over the same 35-game stretch.
The Rams haven’t had a winning season since 2003, and were last spotted in the postseason back in 2004. And if quarterback Carson Palmer can keep his knees intact, the Cardinals will likely zoom into the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Keim and Arians have found the right balance in their roster composition, mixing draft picks with shrewd free-agent signings and the pivotal trade for Palmer before the 2013 season.
Keim and Arians have taken a more urgent approach to winning, bringing in multiple starters and contributors that range from age 27 to age 36. That list includes Palmer, left offensive tackle Jared Veldheer, tight end Jermaine Gresham, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, tight end Darren Fells, defensive end Frostee Rucker, linebacker LaMarr Woodley, running back Chris Johnson, guard Ted Larsen, defensive back Jerraud Powers and guard Mike Iupati.
Iupati — a three-time Pro Bowl choice and a bull in San Francisco’s running game during his first five NFL seasons — was sidelined with a sprained knee and missed the first three games and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the visiting Rams.
The Cardinals also gave wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, 32, a new two-year deal before the season. Fitzgerald was seemingly in decline before Arians moved him to the slot-receiver position. And the revived Fitzgerald has 23 catches for 333 yards and five touchdowns in Arizona’s first three games.
With this blend of young players and viable veterans the Cardinals have jumped out to a 3-0 start this season, outscoring their three victims by 77 points. It’s early, but according to ESPN Stats & Information the Cardinals’ chances of winning the NFC West are 86.5 percent, and their chances of making the playoffs are 97.2 percent — with a projected final record of 12-4.
Keeping Palmer healthy is the overriding key to Arizona’s success, and last season he went down in with the second torn knee ligament of his career while playing the Rams in the sixth game. The offense gradually withered, and to no one’s surprise the Cards were rubbed out of the playoffs at Carolina in a game started by third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley.
The Cardinals are a different team with Palmer running point. As noted by Michael Silver of NFL.com, Palmer is the first Cardinals’ quarterback to win nine consecutive starts since 1948, and he’s 16-2 in his last 18 starts. Three games into 2015, Palmer is tied with Tom Brady for the most touchdown passes (9), and is ranked fourth in passer rating (117.8.)
Even with a heavy veteran influence and Palmer’s inherent injury risk, Arizona hasn’t sacrificed the future by assembling an old , brittle and vulnerable team. Going into the season, only 11 NFL teams had a younger roster than the Cardinals. By my quick count — which means it’s unofficial — 43 players on the Big Red’s current 53-man roster were brought in by Keim-Arians since their early-2013 hiring. That includes 19 draft picks and 16 free-agent signings.
It’s worth repeating: the Snead-Fisher Rams had a one-year head start on the Keim-Arians Cardinals.
And when you look at where these two teams stand as they prepare for Sunday’s game at Arizona, there’s no excuse for the Rams to be lagging behind the Cardinals.
October 1, 2015 at 1:01 am #31480
InvaderRamModeratoradrian peterson in his rookie season had a game where he rushed 14 times. for 3 yards.
0 receptions. for 0 yards.
just sayin.
October 1, 2015 at 1:26 am #31482InvaderRamModeratoron offense it seems like the oline and the running backs are struggling with the zone scheme. but they also seem to be upbeat and think they can iron out the problems through repetition. which they have lacked so far. it could explain why robinson has struggled in run blocking when it was supposed to be a strength of his. thinking too much?
i believe them. but they better figure it out quick.
this team also needs to find a way take their home performances and carry them over to the road. especially with both arizona and green bay being away games.
October 1, 2015 at 6:09 am #31485
wvParticipantBernie is right if his point is the Cardinal organization
has done a great job. They have. Seattle and Arizona
have made a lot of good decisions.w
vOctober 1, 2015 at 6:21 am #31487wvParticipantCardinal podcast:
http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nfl/cardinals/2015/09/09/arizona-cardinals-podcast-birds-eye-view-kent-somers-and-mike-jurecki/71954330/
————–
in episode 4 this week:Playoff-caliber teams take care of business, just what the Cardinals have done through the first three weeks of the season against teams that are now a combined 1-8.
The Cardinals defensive line played its best game last week against San Francisco and showed its depth as well.
Why is Carson Palmer playing at the end of blowouts? Are the Cardinals taking an unnecessary risk leaving him out on the field? The Patriots, for comparison sake, are doing it as well with Tom Brady.
Sunday’s game against the Rams will be a great test for the Cardinals offense. What should fans expect this week?-
This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by
wv.
October 1, 2015 at 6:26 am #31489wvParticipant“Why rams are guaranteed to lose game four”
http://bleacherreport.com/arizona-cardinalsw
vOctober 1, 2015 at 10:28 am #31504znModeratorFasten those seat belts: Rams heading into No Fly Zone
Jim Thomas
Seattle has its Legion of Boom. In Arizona, the Cardinals secondary calls itself the No Fly Zone. And for opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers, these are anything but friendly skies.
Arizona’s defense has 45 interceptions since head coach Bruce Arians arrived in the Valley of the Sun in 2013. That’s second-most in the league over that span, behind only Buffalo’s 47.
“It’s a high priority for us to have big plays, splash plays defensively,” Arians said Wednesday during a conference call with St. Louis reporters. “Negative plays creating turnovers. All our defensive backs have really good ball skills. We don’t want guys who can cover but can’t catch.
“When those opportunities come and you drop interceptions, they always come back to bite you. But all our guys have very good ball skills and they very seldom drop one.”
The Cardinals don’t just have a knack for getting an interception; they do something with the football once they grab it. To wit, Arizona has scored 12 defensive touchdowns since the start of the ‘13 season, an NFL best.
Ten of those 12 scores have come on interception returns, with the other two coming on fumble recovery returns. Throw in two kickoff returns for scores and that’s 14 TDs in 51 games for the Big Red under Arians not scored by the offense.
Although it won’t guarantee victory, a good starting point when playing Arizona is this: Make the offense beat you. Avoid the return touchdowns.
Last Nov. 9 at Arizona, the Rams trailed 17-14 midway through the fourth quarter. But an interception return for a TD and a recovered fumble returned for a score turned a close contest into a 31-14 rout in what was quarterback Austin Davis’ last start for the Rams.
A year earlier, in a 30-10 Rams loss on Dec. 8, 2013 in Arizona, the Cardinals scored on a “pick 6” and also tacked on two points with a safety. In the 2013 season opener, Arizona also had an interception return for a TD, but the Rams rallied to win that one, 27-24.
The Cardinals were up to their usual hijinks last week against San Francisco. On the first pass by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, cornerback Justin Bethel swooped in on an underthrown pass intended for tight end Vernon Davis and returned it 21 yards for a score.
On San Francisco’s second series, Arizona’s Tyrann Mathieu broke quickly on another underthrown Kaepernick pass, this one intended for Anquan Boldin in the slot, and returned the interception 33 yards for another TD.
Just like that Arizona led 14-0, and the unbeaten Cardinals (3-0) were off and running to a 47-7 win.
How do the Rams avoid similar disasters against a deep, talented Arizona secondary? For starters, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti says the Rams can’t play scared and must trust their system.
“The quarterback’s going to trust what he sees and he’s going to play decisive,” Cignetti said of quarterback Nick Foles. “He’s not going to worry about who’s on the other side, but he’s certainly going to respect them. Once again, it comes down to the St. Louis Rams. It’s all about us, and how we go out there and prepare and perform.”
Foles has taken good care of the football in his first three starts as a Ram. His only interception in 87 attempts this season came on a throw he conceded was forced against Pittsburgh – a deep throw to tight end Lance Kendricks in the fourth quarter.
“I’m gonna play like I always have,” Foles said, when asked about the Arizona secondary. “Run our offense, run what we do. I have great respect for those (Cardinals) guys but when we go out there, I expect my guys to win in coverage, win on routes and one-on-ones. I won’t shy away from that.”
When you break it down to the basics, coach Jeff Fisher said it’s simply a matter of the quarterback making good decisions. Kaepernick ended up throwing four interceptions against Arizona and threw a couple off his back foot with pass-rushers in his face.
In instances like that, it’s best to throw the ball away or even take the sack.
“Nick’s got to make good decisions and put the ball in places where they can’t contest the throw,” Fisher said.
The headliner in the No Fly Zone is cornerback Patrick Peterson, a four-time Pro Bowler who has great size (6-1, 219) and closing speed for the position. Mathieu, aka the Honey Badger, can play free safety or the nickel cornerback spot and has excellent instincts and good ball skills.
Jerraud Powers, who had one of those four INTs against San Francisco, is underrated at the other corner. Second-year safety Deone Bucannon, a player the Rams looked at prior to the 2014 draft, frequently lines up at linebacker (similar to Mark Barron of the Rams).
“They communicate well,” Fisher said. “They don’t make any mistakes. They run well and they tackle. That’s the most impressive thing about their defense, is they’re an outstanding tackling defense.”
So while the challenge for Foles will be avoiding bad decisions, Rams receivers need to be concerned with gaining separation and getting yards after the catch. Because the Cardinals can shut you down on the back end.
San Francisco has some talented pass-catchers. Davis, Boldin and Torrey Smith have five Pro Bowls and 1,603 career receptions between them. They combined for two catches against the Cardinals.
“They disguise a lot of things very well,” Rams tight end Jared Cook said. “They have some good players – that allows them to play a lot of different coverages that most teams don’t.
“Usually, most teams might have one good corner and maybe two average corners. They have two really good corners and two good safeties. So they can mix guys up a lot, play guys in the box. They’re very versatile in the secondary.”
October 1, 2015 at 4:52 pm #31519
AgamemnonParticipant
AgamemnonOctober 1, 2015 at 7:17 pm #31532znModeratorWeek 4 preview: Rams at Cardinals
By The Sports Xchange
http://www.footballinsiders.com/week-4-preview-rams-at-cardinals/
October 1, 2015
St. Louis Rams (1-2) at Arizona Cardinals (3-0)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz. – TV: FOX
*TV announcers: Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Tony Siragusa
*Keys to the game: QB Carson Palmer and WR Larry Fitzgerald are trying to prove 30-somethings are superstars, too, combining for 333 yards, five touchdowns and sparking the Cardinals to an NFL-high 126 points through three games. The Rams sachet into the desert with 16 total points staring into the teeth of a defense with seven takeaways. St. Louis might not solve the Cardinals’ five-defensive back base defense without better play from the offensive line and more fireworks from QB Nick Foles, who threw for 411 yards against Arizona last season while playing for the Eagles.
Arizona’s defensive line has caused problems consistently, and the Rams are overmatched up front. That doesn’t bode well for a ground game yet to get going, and the Cardinals won’t let the Rams’ receivers off the line without a fight.
Arizona’s points have come in most every fashion – four returns, seven TD passes – and starting RB Andre Ellington could be back this week. The Cardinals have an impressive offensive arsenal that affords the ability to play up-tempo or engage in an alley brawl and Palmer has been sacked just once this season.
*Matchup to watch – Rams DT Aaron Donald vs. Cardinals offensive line: Donald whipped RG Jonathan Cooper and injured Cardinals QB Drew Stanton the last time he played Arizona and St. Louis leads the NFL with 13 sacks. The Cardinals would benefit from the return of LG Mike Iupati.
*Player spotlight – Cardinals S Deone Bucannon: A hybrid defender who plays in the box as a linebacker and also flips his hips to run with backs and tight ends, his versatility is a major factor in Arizona’s thriving secondary.
*Fast facts: Only four other teams in NFL history have scored 126 points in the first three games of a season. … The Rams have lost three straight meetings by a combined 43 points.
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
The Cardinals are on Cloud Nine and building chemistry with contributions all around the roster. The Rams enter with a puncher’s chance because of their defensive line, but St. Louis hasn’t shown it can keep pace with Carson Palmer.
October 1, 2015 at 7:24 pm #31534znModeratorhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/01/pfts-week-four-picks-6/
by Mike Florio
Rams at Cardinals
MDS’s take: The Cardinals have been dominant in their first three games, and they’ll dominate again when the Rams come to town on Sunday.
MDS’s pick: Cardinals 38, Rams 14.
Florio’s take: This is the kind of game the Rams find a way to win, or at least to be competitive. But the Cardinals have looked too good this year, and the even the very best the Rams can do may not be good enough.
Florio’s pick: Cardinals 30, Rams 23.
October 2, 2015 at 10:26 am #31552znModeratorNo Excuses For Rams. Just Look at Arizona
Bernie Miklasz
It’s typical of Bernie to ignore or downplay contexts. It’s just his way. I’ve been saying that now for years btw, about Miklasz. And IMO him doing that just leads to bumper sticker analysis.
Here’s a quick glance at the ARZ roster, based solely on the roster put up for them by PRF for their last game.
EG. Arizona’s avg. experience for starters on defense is 5 years (I count the year they’re IN. So a rookie in 2015 is in year 1.) Their D has at least 5 starters who are in their 5th year or more.
On their OL, the avg. experience is 5.6 years. The youngest is a 3 year vet and it includes 2 6 year vets and a 9 year vet.
The way I have always seen Miklasz work, going back to the days he used to trash Vermeil in 98 based on criticisms he was getting from Zygmunt, is that he gets an emotion based on the team record, then adds reasons that justify the emotion.
He doesn’t really do any analysis where the conclusion is not pre-ordained.
So for example it would not even occur to him to compare the relative experience of the Rams D v. the ARZ D, or the Rams OL v. the ARZ OL. That stuff is just not on his horizon. He doesn’t even think to do it. When confronted with material like that, and an analysis that differs from his, he trots out the great “shut down conversation” word….”excuses.” (Excuses = an analysis you don’t like. That’s it, that’s all it ever means in football discussions.)
Meanwhile look at the Fisher Rams from 2012-2014. They did well when they had: (1) a starting caliber qb, (2) a relatively healthy OL (meaning one that does not have multiple simultaneous injury replacements), and (3) a running threat.
BTW if you have a top qb you can get by without number 3. Palmer is that; both Foles and Bradford need a running threat IMO.
But in any event, they did well when then had those conditions. And they had those conditions for 11 out of 48 games. In those 11 games they went 7-3-1, and that includes 6 games against top 10 defenses.
Arians is clearly a good coach, but then, give any struggling team Palmer, Fitzgerald, a veteran D (even one with injuries), and a veteran OL, and they ought to do well.
In contrast, I assume that when Foles and the Rams young OL get some experience together that the unit will cohere and they will do well.
But see that’s where the “e” word comes in. Bernie will dismiss all that as “excuses.” I just call it analysis. He disagrees with it, mostly based on an emotional reaction to the record, so we get the “e” word.
All IMO naturally and of course.
October 2, 2015 at 1:06 pm #31557
ZooeyModeratorSo for example it would not even occur to him to compare the relative experience of the Rams D v. the ARZ D, or the Rams OL v. the ARZ OL. That stuff is just not on his horizon. He doesn’t even think to do it. When confronted with material like that, and an analysis that differs from his, he trots out the great “shut down conversation” word….”excuses.” (Excuses = an analysis you don’t like. That’s it, that’s all it ever means in football discussions
Nor does he look at what the Cardinals had vs. the Rams to begin with.
I look at Bernie as a fan. A fan with a significant homer bent to everything he sees. That’s really what he is except he has a column. He isn’t objective, and I don’t think he knows how to be. Like you said, he is a cherry-picker. Sometimes he is interesting to read.
October 2, 2015 at 2:53 pm #31558znModeratorRams preparing for same old dominant Larry Fitzgerald
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — As one of the three teams Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald has played against the most in his NFL career, it stands to reason that Fitzgerald’s numbers against the St. Louis Rams would be impressive.
But for all the teams that Fitzgerald has posted big statistics against, there’s not one that he has had more success against than the Rams. His 16 receiving touchdowns in 22 games against the Rams are the most by any active player against a single team in the NFL. In addition to those touchdowns, Fitzgerald has averaged 6.2 catches and 74 yards per game against St. Louis.
Now for the scary part: at 32, fully healthy and with a true starting quarterback in Carson Palmer, Fitzgerald might be playing as well as ever through the first three weeks of 2015.
“He has just a rare understanding of the game,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s got great body control and hand-eye coordination and speed and he just gets open. You’re hearing a lot about these receiver-quarterback tandems with [Falcons WR] Julio [Jones] down in Atlanta and some of the other guys, but this one is special. They’re special together. Carson and Fitz, they’ve got it going, so we’re going to have to play really well.”
As one of the most accomplished wideouts in the league, Fitzgerald is enjoying a renaissance in 2015 after he dipped below 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past three seasons. Those believing that Fitzgerald had lost a step are eating crow as Fitzgerald has 333 receiving yards (fifth in the NFL), and his five touchdown catches lead the league and are one more than the Rams have as a team.
How is he doing it? Well, it starts with a return to health. Fitzgerald battled an MCL sprain in 2014 and was left wearing a knee brace for most of the season. But he has struggled to get going without the services of a true No. 1 quarterback. With Palmer lost for most of the past two seasons because of knee injuries and less than optimal options before Palmer’s arrival, Fitzgerald has had to try to corral passes from the likes of Ryan Lindley, Drew Stanton, John Skelton and Kevin Kolb.
Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis and Fitzgerald go way back to their days in Minnesota and have trained together in the past. Laurinaitis keeps tabs on Fitzgerald and points to Palmer’s presence and Fitzgerald’s health as reasons for his early-season revival.
“He sprained his MCL, so he’s out there with a knee brace on and that’s not a good look for a wideout to have a knee brace,” Laurinaitis said. “So the combination of him not feeling well and you don’t have your starting quarterback, it makes a huge difference. He’s got probably the best hands in ball, arguably, very strong hands, and he’s a savvy vet now. He knows how to get open.”
Palmer has been Fitzgerald’s personal fountain of youth, feeding him the ball all over the field, and Arizona is not shy about moving Fitzgerald all over the formation. He has been particularly effective out of the slot or even stacked near the line of scrimmage in various bunch formations. In moving him around, the Cardinals have been able to create favorable matchups for him against nickel corners, safeties and even the occasional linebacker.
Fitzgerald and Palmer’s connection is stronger than ever. The two have connected on 23-of-28 targets (82.1 percent) and have been particularly effective using the middle of the field on intermediate and deep routes. According to Pro Football Focus, Fitzgerald has caught all 11 balls thrown his way between the hash marks at least 10 yards down the field for 201 yards and three touchdowns.
“He’s played it ever since we’ve been here,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “Now he’s playing a lot more flanker where he’s always been the split end where we can move him and he’s just bought into our philosophy. He’s probably one of the best blocking receivers in the league right now. But, it’s also helped him in the play-action game. We’re running the ball better than we have in the past, so that’s opening him up also.”
Which means the Rams must be constantly be aware of Fitzgerald’s presence on Sunday or a set of numbers that’s already impressive will continue to grow.
October 3, 2015 at 6:41 pm #31644znModeratorRams see Cardinals as ‘a lot better’ with Carson Palmer back
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra…inals-as-a-lot-better-with-carson-palmer-back
EARTH CITY, Mo. — It’s not exactly a groundbreaking observation to note the influence quarterback Carson Palmer has on the Arizona Cardinals’ offense when he’s behind center.
For proof, one only needs to look at the struggles the Cardinals had without him in recent seasons when they leaned on the likes of Drew Stanton, Ryan Lindley, John Skelton and Kevin Kolb to provide enough offensive punch to complement one of the league’s stoutest and most opportunistic defenses.
Now that Palmer’s twice-repaired knee is back to full strength, there’s nobody associated with the St. Louis Rams who hasn’t noticed the Palmer effect as they prepare to play the Cardinals on Sunday.
“They’re a lot better,” linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “The offense goes through him. Once he gets going, everybody else follows along with him. It’s going to be a challenge for us to get to him and keep pressure in his face and try to limit him from making big plays.”
With Palmer at the controls and some help from that defense, the Cardinals have scored the fourth-most points (126) of any team in the first three games of a season in league history. In the process, Arizona has gone 3-0 and Palmer has extended his streak of consecutive victories as a starter to nine, the longest active streak in the NFL. The Cardinals are 16-2 in Palmer’s past 18 starts.
So what is it about Palmer, aside from the fact that he’s a legitimate starter and not a backup masquerading as one, that elevates the Cardinals?
Let the Rams count the ways.
“He’s a leader but he’s also patient with the football,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “He’s not going to throw a lot of picks. A lot of times on third down, he will take a sack and not force it. He’s not trying to turn it over.
“He really changes their whole offense and what they do. When Carson is healthy, he makes their offense that much better. The challenge is can you make them one-dimensional and then when you do, can you make Carson uncomfortable by trying to make him kind of move in the pocket. It’s a big challenge, even bigger than last year.”
Among NFL quarterbacks, Palmer’s 91.1 QBR is second only to injured Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Palmer also ranks 10th in passing yards, fourth in yards per attempt, tied for second in touchdown passes and fourth in passer rating.
Palmer has been particularly effective using the middle of the field. According to Pro Football Focus, on throws from 10 to 20 yards between the hashmarks, he’s completed all 17 of his passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns.
And whether he’s under pressure or not, his numbers are about the same. On plays when he’s not pressured, Palmer has a passer rating of 125.8. While that number drops when he is under pressure, Palmer still has a 100.4 passer rating when he is under fire.
According to Rams coach Jeff Fisher, part of the reason for that is Palmer’s ability to maneuver in the pocket, which hadn’t been a staple of his game before this season.
“Carson is moving around,” Fisher said. “I wouldn’t have thought that you would get a quarterback at his age that’s showing the ability to move and escape the pocket and extend plays the way he does. He’s doing a really, really good job.”
======================
Laurinaitis, Kenny Britt probable to play against Arizona
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra…-kenny-britt-probable-to-play-against-arizona
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams made some roster moves Friday as their injury report indicated a need for another safety. So the Rams released cornerback Brandon McGee and called up safety Christian Bryant from the practice squad.
While McGee could have helped on special teams, Bryant gives the Rams the help on special teams while also serving as depth at safety. That depth is apparently more important for the Rams than depth at corner this week because safety Maurice Alexander is out this week because of a groin injury.
As expected, the Rams probably will have the services of receiver Kenny Britt and linebacker James Laurinaitis. Britt and Laurinaitis sat out Tuesday and Wednesday because of shoulder soreness and non-injury related reasons, respectively.
Elsewhere, the Rams are mostly status quo though they added running back Benny Cunningham to the report after he sat out Friday with knee soreness. Cunningham is also listed as probable to play.
The Rams also signed cornerback Eric Patterson to the practice squad to replace Bryant.
Here’s Friday’s full injury report:
Out: DE Eugene Sims (knee), S Maurice Alexander (groin)
Doubtful: RB Chase Reynolds (knee)
Probable: WR Kenny Britt (shoulder), LB James Laurinaitis (not-injury related), RB Benny Cunningham (knee)
October 3, 2015 at 6:43 pm #31645znModeratorRams keeping focus on preventing big play against Cardinals
Nick Wagoner
PHOENIX — A look three things to watch when the St. Louis Rams play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET at University of Phoenix Stadium:
1. Staying underneath: Three weeks into the season, the Rams defense is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 81.6 percent of their passes. Without question, that’s an eye-popping number for a defense that has been expected to carry the load in the early part of the season. While that number will certainly drop (it almost has to), the Rams actually don’t mind it so much, especially when playing dynamic offenses like Pittsburgh or this week’s opponent, Arizona.
The reason? Well, the Rams aren’t allowing big plays down the field, instead relying on the pass rush to force the ball out quick and make tackles short of the sticks. Last week, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had just four incompletions on 24 attempts but his yards per dropback came in at just 6.3. That was a big step back from the 13.67 he had the previous week against San Francisco and the 8.45 he had in the opener against New England. The result was a Pittsburgh offense that didn’t have a passing play over 20 yards and the only one going that long was a catch-and-run by running back Le’Veon Bell.
Antonio Brown
The Rams have kept opposing offenses bottled up by making them throw the ball quickly.
With that in mind, don’t be surprised if the Rams take a similar approach against Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer and his offense. Palmer enters the game fourth in the league in yards per attempt (9.4) and won’t hesitate to take shots down the field. That means the Rams will probably again try to force him to get rid of the ball quick and make the Cardinals dink and dunk their way down the field.2. Finding big plays: On the other side of the ball, the Rams find themselves in a position where they must attempt to do offensively what they’re trying to stop defensively. In the season opener against Seattle, the Rams had eight plays of 20-plus yards so even when they struggled to run the ball, they were able to get yards in big chunks and put points on the board.
Over the past two weeks, the Rams have had a total of three plays of 20-plus yards. That wouldn’t be a big deal if they were running the ball with any consistency but they aren’t. The Rams are 29th in the league in rushing and still adapting to new zone concepts in the running game. Although they insist they’re close to a breakthrough, it probably won’t come this week against an Arizona team that is tied for fourth in the league in rushing yards per attempt allowed at 3.45.
Putting the ball in the air against opportunistic defensive backs such as Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu can be a dangerous proposition, but the Rams will have to lean on the passing game if they want to get the chunk plays needed to reach the end zone.
3. Scoring other ways: If you’re picking up on a theme here about the Rams finding a way, any way, to score more points, well you should be. They’ve averaged eight points per game over the past two weeks. Is that surprising? No, not really. Most expected the offense to struggle with so many moving parts early in the season. Though perhaps the Rams’ offensive struggles have been greater than expected.
But if the offense can’t do it that means we have to unfairly put even more of a burden on the defense and special teams to make something happen, right? Well, yeah. It’s asking a lot of the defense and/or special teams to come up with a touchdown every week but that’s the world the Rams live in right now. In three games, they have one such touchdown, a punt return from Tavon Austin in the opener. It might not be a coincidence that that stands as the only game the team has won so far.
Palmer and the Cardinals generally do a good job of taking care of the ball, but there might be some opportunities for Austin if the Cardinals actually kick to him. It’s a small sample size, but Arizona has allowed an average of 19.67 yards per punt return on three tries in the first three weeks. Logic says they won’t give Austin a chance but if there’s a mishit, perhaps he can again make a play that changes the game.
October 4, 2015 at 10:17 am #31684znModeratorRams will try to top the talk in Arizona
Jim Thomas
Blunt-talking Bruce Arians couldn’t resist rubbing the Rams’ noses in it late last season when his Arizona Cardinals won a Thursday night slugfest 12-6. His one-two punch in his postgame press conference went as follows:
“Everybody that wanted to talk all that stuff about how great their defense is, I think they saw a good defense tonight. It was in red and white.”
Ouch! And he followed that with:
“I love it when nobody says you’re gonna have a chance to win. There’s an 11-3 team, and a team that’s always 8-8. You figure it out.”
Double ouch!
At the time, the Rams were coming off back-to-back shutouts of Oakland and Washington. As for the Cardinals, they were en route to an 11-5 record and a wild-card playoff berth — doing so despite the absence of star quarterback Carson Palmer for 10 games due to injury.
In a sense, not that much has changed as the NFC West foes renew their rivalry Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. (St. Louis time) at University of Phoenix Stadium.
The Cardinals, with a healthy Palmer, are 3-0 and one of the NFL’s hottest teams.
As for the Rams (1-2), well, they haven’t even been 8-8 since 2006, so maybe Arians — now in his third season as Big Red coach — was being too kind.
Save for a bad first half in Washington, the Rams’ defense has played well. As for the offense? After a promising opening-day performance against Seattle, it has degenerated to milk carton status. That’s right, disappeared.
Arians’ comments were in circulation this week, and several Rams defenders were aware of them during the practice week at Rams Park. But most declined to nibble when reminded.
Any thoughts on Arians’ remarks, coach Jeff Fisher?
“No, none whatsoever,” Fisher said evenly, with his best poker face. “He’s an outstanding coach. They’ve got one of the top teams in the NFC, and that’s a great challenge for us.”
How about you, linebacker James Laurinaitis?
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Laurinaitis replied.
Do you have an opinion?
“I do have an opinion,” Laurinaitis said. “I will keep it to myself.”
But defensive tackle Michael Brockers elaborated on what many on the probably team felt.
“When somebody takes a shot like that, at your team, you try not to look into it,” Brockers said. “But deep inside, it’s a little fire in you saying, ‘OK, I’ve got to get these guys back.’
“We haven’t taken any shots at them, any shots in the media at all. We have a lot of respect for them, to be honest with you. We’ll see Sunday who’s the better team. If it’s them, it’s them. If it’s us, it’s us.”
Almost universally, most people outside the confines of Rams Park expect Arizona to be the better team Sunday.
“We really don’t care about those people,” said Rams tight end Jared Cook. “All the naysayers and the negatives, we don’t even condone any of that. We don’t put any of that in our head.”
But who wouldn’t feel that way on the outside? The Cardinals are firing on all cylinders.
Coming off a 47-7 crush job of San Francisco, Bill Bidwill’s Big Red have scored 126 points in three games. Not only does that point total lead the NFL, it’s tied for fourth-most in league history after three games.
They have scored 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1969, when Charley Winner was the coach, Charley Johnson and Jim Hart were the quarterbacks, and Busch Stadium was home.
Palmer has won his last nine starts, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is one of the league’s hottest pass-catchers, and the Arizona secondary — AKA the “No Fly Zone” — already has seven interceptions with three returned for touchdowns.
“I’ve said it before, they’re playing at a really high level right now,” Cook said. “So we have to get our minds right to go in there and do something to disrupt that. We know it’s not gonna be easy.”
“They have a lot of weapons,” Brockers said. “Those guys are good, so we’ve gotta bring our ‘A’ game. I think if we can win this game, it’ll bump our confidence up.”
The Rams have reason to take at least some degree of confidence into the game. They’ve played the Cardinals pretty tough in recent seasons; Fisher’s Rams are 3-3 against them.
The Cardinals swept the season series in 2014, with that 12-6 contest last Dec. 11 in St. Louis preceded by a 31-14 loss at Arizona on Nov. 9. But Arizona led by just 17-14 midway through the fourth quarter in that one before the Cardinals returned an Austin Davis interception and a Davis fumble for touchdowns to close out the game.
“We feel we’ve played these guys very hard the last few times we’ve played ’em defensively,” Laurinaitis said. “When we were down there last time, we really got after ’em.
“We feel very confident on how we match up to them. And it’s a division game. You don’t need any motivation. When you play anybody in the division, it’s time to roll, and things get more intense.”
But if the Rams needed any additional motivation, there are always those words from Arians last time they met.
“I try not to really read into press conferences and newspaper articles too much,” said defensive end William Hayes, one of the Rams’ elder statesmen at age 30. “We’ll just see Sunday. Our goal is go out there and be the best defense on the field. And I’m pretty sure they’ll say the same goal. So we’re just gonna go out there and play good, solid football.”
And see who’s talking afterwards.
October 4, 2015 at 10:20 am #31685znModerator7 things to watch: Rams at Cardinals
Jim Thomas
First came Ben Roethlisberger. On Oct. 11, it’s Aaron Rodgers. But next up in the Rams’ three-game gauntlet of elite QBs is former No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer. As was the case last week with Roethlisberger, Palmer is playing some of the best football of his career, ranking fourth in the NFL in passer rating at 117.8. He’s attempting to become the first Big Red QB to win 10 consecutive starts since Ray Mallouf of the Chicago Cardinals in 1948. Remember him? Didn’t think so.
CHASING CARSON
Palmer can make all the throws, and remains accurate on intermediate and deep throws at age 35. It obviously takes longer for deeper patterns to develop and Palmer has never been the most mobile QB around. So if the Rams can make the Big Red one-dimensional by shutting down the run, they should be able to get to Palmer with a pass rush that shares the league lead in sacks (13) with New England. Even so, Arizona’s offensive line looks much-improved, allowing only one sack so far — a league low.
FITZGERALD REVIVALLast season, WR Larry Fitzgerald caught “only” 63 passes, the second-lowest total of his stellar career, for a career-low 784 yards. It was his third consecutive season falling short of 1,000 yards. But Fitzgerald is experiencing a career renaissance at age 32, aided of course by the return to health of Palmer. He ranks fifth in the league in yards receiving (333) and has scored as many TDs (5) as the entire Rams team. He’s doing a lot of damage in the slot this year, so the pressure’s on Rams nickel back Lamarcus Joyner.
MORE THAN FITZ
Even with Fitzgerald’s feats, the Cardinals appear to have more balance on offense, particularly in the passing game, than they’ve had in a long time. Former first-round pick Michael Floyd, who led the team in reception yards in 2013 and ’14, is off to a slow start but provides another big target at 6-2, 220. John Brown has a shoulder issue but is a legit deep threat. He caught a 48-yard pass for the go-ahead TD in last year’s game at Arizona. There are options as well at TE with Jermaine Gresham and Darren Fells.
CJ2K LIVESIt was six seasons ago that RB Chris Johnson became the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, with 2,006 for Jeff Fisher and the 2009 Tennessee Titans. (Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson became the seventh with 2,097 yards in 2012.) Cut by Tennessee after the 2013 season and by the New York Jets this past offseason, Johnson suddenly looks fresh at age 30. In place of the injured Andre Ellington, Johnson rushed for 110 yards last week against San Francisco.
NO FLY ZONE
Led by four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson, Arizona has one of the deepest, most-talented secondaries in the NFL. They disguise their coverages well, and have versatility in how they deploy their top six or seven players. But when it comes down to it, you’re going to have to beat man coverage to succeed against this group — and that’s easier said than done, especially for a Rams receivers corps still looking to find its stride. Brian Quick’s return to game action should help.
MIZZOU CONNECTIONTwo former Missouri standouts, Sean Weatherspoon and Markus Golden, are part of a talented LB corps in Arizona’s 3-4 scheme. Weatherspoon entered the NFL as a first-round draft choice by Atlanta in 2010. After missing the entire 2014 season with a torn Achilles, he signed a free-agent deal with the Big Red and starts at inside LB. Golden, the rookie from Affton High, was a second-round draft pick this past spring. He’s at his best rushing the passer and had a half sack in Week 2 vs. Chicago coming off the bench at outside LB.
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