Rams Lay Foundation in the Trenches With Robinson & Donald
By Casey Pearce

http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Rams-Lay-Foundation-in-the-Trenches-With-Robinson–Donald/1bf52adb-b049-4fa2-b2f8-2fcc0dc71c10

The following piece was initially published in the first edition of the 2014 Rams Insider Magazine. For more stories like this, purchase a copy of the Rams Insider Magazine during any and all Rams home games at the Edward Jones Dome.

Rams General Manager Les Snead is a big fan of crafty analogies and weighty quotes.

His office is decorated in them. They are mounted in frames on his walls.

Several are scribbled in Snead’s handwriting on a grease board behind his desk, including Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “Well done is better than well said,” and another from author Steven Covey, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”

Snead’s mantra, “Wake up sprinting and don’t be scared,” is one that is often repeated by Rams staffers throughout the building.

So it came as no surprise that shortly after executing the team’s two first-round picks in May’s NFL Draft, the head man of the team’s personnel department developed the perfect metaphor to describe the team’s approach to the picks, ones that yielded massive offensive lineman Greg Robinson and penetrating, disruptive defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

“When you lay your foundation for your skyscraper, it’s probably the least exciting thing that you do,” Snead said. “But that’s the thing that holds that skyscraper up for a lot of years.”

In the Rams’ case, the foundation is literally the front and center portion of their team on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Snead and Head Coach Jeff Fisher chose grit over glitz, and while Snead understands that the selection of big two men in the first round might not draw the same buzz that other position potentially could bring, he has strong convictions about the approach.

“We’re in an age where skill people are sexy,” Snead said. “Fantasy football is hot. Those guys are some of the nice ornaments on the building. It may not be the sexiest thing in the world, but we’re building the foundation of our building, and that foundation is what’s going to hold it up for years to come. The lines are the closest thing to the ball. Our approach to the draft was definitely a strategy that we’re going to get our foundation stronger, and I think that’s going to help us.”

As Snead, Fisher and their staffs work to build a roster that they hope will return them to the top of the NFC West and ultimately the NFL, they do so with a specific philosophy in mind. Fisher has always been point blank about what he hopes to develop in the personality of his teams. He laid it out in plain terms when he took his current job in January of 2012.

“We’re going to have a disciplined, tough, physical football team that’s going to first and foremost matchup and be able to win games in the division,” Fisher said. “It’s a team that’s going to run the football, protect the quarterback, play good defense and get the ball back.”

The formula is one that has yielded plenty of success in in the NFL in recent years. It’s the one Seattle used to win its first Super Bowl a year ago. It’s the one San Francisco has ridden to three-consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances and a narrow defeat in a Super Bowl. It’s the personality other recent champions such as Pittsburgh and the New York Giants have used to win multiple titles.

That’s why Snead pauses a little when he hears that the NFL has become a “passing league.”

“I think it’s correct to say the passing game has gotten more sophisticated,” Snead said. “We may be throwing the ball more. I think if you just throw that out as a blanket statement, it’s low-hanging fruit. When you run the ball well, it can get you in the 2nd-and-6s, the 2nd-and-4s, and at that point it’s a harder guess for the defensive coordinator. When teams find balance offensively, it seems like the defense is always playing on their heels. Coordinators and players are guessing, not sure what’s going to happen. It’s correct to say passing has gotten better, but it’s not a passing league.”

That’s why both Robinson and Donald were such good fits with St. Louis. Their strengths were exactly what Snead and Fisher look for in players at their positions, ones that are keys to being the type of team they want St. Louis to be.

“On the offensive side of the ball, we’re going to run the ball and we’re going to run it well,” Snead said. “Any time you can get physical up front and be able to run the ball when you want to, you can close out games and open up your passing game. I think pass protection speaks for itself, not only the tackles, but with a pocket passer being able to stand up. Greg’s going to help us there.”

The Rams see Donald as a disruptive player against both the run and the pass, one that can join an already strong front that will allow St. Louis to set the tone defensively.

“We’re going to be an aggressive defense,” Snead said. “There are a lot of ways you can disrupt rhythm and timing. We think one of the best ways to do it is with the guys that are closest to the ball. If you can disrupt rhythm and timing and cause an offense that goes down the field to shorten up their passing game, they’re not playing to their strengths. Same thing in the running game. If you’re strong up front, you can get tackles for loss. You can get into some long distance downs where you can let your pass rushers go.

A Mountain of a Man

At 6-5, 332 pounds, Robinson already looks the part. He comes with the credentials as well. In 14 games last season, Auburn coaches credited Robinson with 130 “knockdown” blocks, an average of more than nine per game as the Tigers sparred with some of the best defenses in the country. As a team, Auburn averaged an NCAA-best 328.3 yards per game on the ground, and their massive left tackle had a lot to do with that success. Robinson was named First-Team All-SEC and was a Second-Team All-American by The Associated Press.

Shortly after the Rams made Robinson the second overall pick, Fisher gushed about his massive new offensive lineman.

“You talk about an athlete,” Fisher said. “Powerful with great quickness and strength. He’s got a chance to be a dominant player inside initially.”

When a player is drafted as high as Robinson, it goes without saying that the team believes the sky is the limit, and that’s certainly the case with the Thibodaux, La. native. Robinson’s expectations are equally as high for himself, but he realizes he’s responsible for extracting the massive potential he possesses.

“I control that ceiling,” Robinson said. “It’s just how much I want to learn. It’s just as far as going into it with a positive attitude and trusting the coaches. I believe (Offensive Line) Coach Paul Boudreau has a great plan for the O-Line. It’s up to me to work hard and be the best player I can be.”

Recently, a reporter recited to Robinson a quote that former Redskins guard Russ Grimm used during his Hall of Fame induction speech. Grimm said that there was “no greater feeling in the world than moving a man from point A to point B against his will.”

Robinson wasn’t familiar with the quote, but he nodded his head in agreement. A quick YouTube search can yield plenty of evidence of Robinson enjoying Grimm’s favorite activity. Robinson is glad to play for a team that has the offensive mentality that the Rams possess.

“I love to run block because of the way it can wear down a defense,” Robinson said. “When you run the ball well, you can impose your will. This offense (with the Rams) is a lot different than what we did at Auburn but I’m excited about it.”

After playing his collegiate career at left tackle, it’s likely that Robinson will likely begin his NFL days as a guard. The challenges of transitioning to a new position while adjusting to a completely new level of competition are ones that have tested Robinson, but he’s confident that he’ll grow into the role this summer.

“I can get my hands on them faster, so it’s something that I think I can grow to like,” Robinson said. “I’m a little rusty. It’s been a while since I played guard, but I’m certainly up for the challenge. I’ll do whatever it takes to help my team.”

In practice, one of Robinson’s biggest challenges may be dealing with his new teammates. When Fisher was asked on draft night if Robinson could play guard, the coach responded in the affirmative but jokingly tempered his expectations for Robinson in practice.

“He may initially have a little trouble blocking Aaron (Donald),” Fisher said.

Quick to the Punch

If Robinson does have a hard time trying to block his fellow first round pick, he’ll hardly be the only player who has experienced such troubles. You’d be hard pressed to find a guard in the Atlantic Coast Conference who did so a year ago as Donald led the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss.

If he can continue that productivity at the NFL level, Donald will fit in perfectly with his new teammates. The Rams finished third in the league in sacks last season after finishing atop the NFL standings in the category in 2012. With the addition of Donald, the Rams now have four first-round picks on the defensive line. They also have a position coach in Mike Waufle who is widely considered one of the best in the business at his craft.

With the experience and talent surrounding him at his position group, Donald knows he’ll be in a great position to succeed. Not only will he benefit from teams having to choose wisely when trying to figure out whom to double team up front due to the Rams’ depth of talent, Donald will also have a wealth of knowledge in his meeting room from which he can draw.

“I’m real excited just to have those veteran guys like that around me,” Donald said. “I can learn from them and if I need something, anything answered that I feel like I’m struggling with, I can ask those guys and they can push me and help me to take my game to another level, so I’m real excited about it.”

Donald stands 6-1 and weighs 285 pounds, which makes him physically different from fellow Rams defensive tackles Michael Brockers (6-5, 326) and Kendall Langford (6-6, 313). Speed, quickness and technique are Donald’s tools to success, and they had Fisher raving on draft night.

“He’s way ahead in hand use on the line of scrimmage,” Fisher said. “He does an outstanding job with his hands.”

Snead even sees Donald’s physique as a benefit.

“His game is not size,” Snead said. “I think his game is speed, quickness, so I think getting bigger really doesn’t help him. One of the reasons we were fine with the pick is he’s short so he always has leverage and he’s just a strong kid.”

Donald has received strong reviews in training camp for his ability to quickly get off the ball and disrupt plays in the backfield. Donald knows he must improve daily, and the excitement of those around him is tempered by the knowledge that the Pittsburgh native has yet to take a snap in an NFL game. However, the Rams believe they have good reason to feel positive about Donald’s future. Simply put, he fits the mold and looks the part.

“It just seems like his body mechanics, the way he bends and moves and takes steps, it’s perfectly in symmetry in what you want the ideal defensive lineman to do,” Snead said. “Make this step, take this angle, dip this shoulder, use this hand. You see some great Olympic swimmers and their lungs are in this shape, their torsos are longer, their wingspans are wider. They’re just made to swim. This guy was made to play defensive tackle.”

Great Expectations

If you look at the Rams’ first-round picks over the last five years, the precedent has been set. In 2010, Sam Bradford was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. A year later, the team’s top pick was Robert Quinn, who led the NFC with 19.0 sacks last season and is considered among the elite in the NFL at his position. The 2012 Draft yielded Michael Brockers, whom has started 28 games in two seasons and helped transform the Rams’ defensive fronts into one of the league’s best. Last year, Tavon Austin gave the Rams explosive plays and scored six touchdowns, while Alec Ogletree was a 16-game starter and the team’s leading tackler.

The bar has been set high. Robinson is expected to start from Day 1. With Langford coming off a career year in 2013, Donald may not be on the field for the first snap of every game, but he’ll see his share of action in the rotation.

Both players have extremely high expectations, but they’re realistic about what they’ll have to do to meet them.

“I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected,” Robinson said. “I feel like you’ve just got to go along with it and you fall in place wherever you land. It’s just all about your work ethic and how hard you work.”

For Donald, it’s a simple approach. He tries to block out distractions so he can focus on his job.

“All I can do is play ball,” Donald said. “When my name is called, I’ve got to try to be productive. I’m part of a great defensive line. I’ve got great coaches. I just have to work hard and do my part when my name is call.”

Although it’s early in their rookie years, Snead likes what he sees from his “foundation pieces.” When asked about the development of Robinson and Donald, the Rams’ GM hedged his answer a bit. He referred to recent comments made by Chip Kelly in which the Eagles’ coach said he believes the NFL Draft is extremely overhyped.

Snead understands the hype and knows it’s part of what makes his job what it is. He knows the Rams must be patient, but he also knows he has reason to be excited.

“We’re never going to take the hype of the draft away,” Snead said. “This is not a cookie cutter league. These are human beings. Each one is at different stages of their career. They don’t just come in and they’re King Kong. Every practice, they’re getting better. We’re jacked about it, but they’re not finished products yet. When they are, I think there are going to be a lot of fruits.”

Rams rookie review: Preseason week 2
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10628/rams-rookie-review-preseason-week-2

EARTH CITY, Mo. — A look at playing time and production of each of the St. Louis Rams’ drafted rookies and a quick glimpse at the undrafted rookie class in Saturday’s 21-7 preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Robinson
OL Greg Robinson, first round, No. 2 overall: Robinson again split time between left guard and left tackle, but started at tackle this time. He played 32 snaps, one less than last week and appeared to do OK though he had a couple of pass protection hiccups against Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers (who hasn’t?). The plan is to continue working him at both spots, but he should be able to settle in more at guard with the impending return of tackle Jake Long.

DT Aaron Donald, first round, No. 13 overall: Donald played well into this one, clocking 38 snaps before all was said and done. Starting alongside Kendall Langford, Donald didn’t do much damage in his time on the field. He didn’t show up on the stat sheet but did get in the backfield a couple of times. He’ll be better off when he can line up next to Michael Brockers or someone like William Hayes, inside but despite how impressive Donald has been in camp, it’s important to remember he’s still learning.

DB Lamarcus Joyner, second round, No. 41 overall: Joyner continues to be perhaps the team’s most consistent tackler, leading the team with six stops, a pass defended and a forced fumble on his defense-high 51 snaps. Joyner had some rough moments in coverage, though, including one play in which he lost his man as Aaron Rodgers scrambled, resulting in a big completion.

Mason
RB Tre Mason, third round, No. 75 overall: The Rams still aren’t shy about getting Mason plenty of work as he led the team in carries for a second straight week with 12. But he finished with just 30 yards and had some major struggles in pass protection during his 22 snaps. Mason is going to need some time to get squared away in that regard but there’s no cause for alarm here yet. Just don’t expect to see him taking work from Zac Stacy or Benny Cunningham just yet.

S Maurice Alexander, fourth round, No. 110 overall: Alexander clearly gets more comfortable each week and had a solid performance against the Packers while playing 40 snaps on defense and 14 more on special teams. It’s obvious he’s going to be a key contributor on special teams right away but he also looks like he’s making progress on defense. He finished with five tackles against Green Bay, second most on the team.

CB E.J. Gaines, sixth round, No. 188 overall: Gaines didn’t play against the Packers after a strong outing in the first preseason game. Although his injury is unclear, he suffered it in practice earlier in the week, returned to practice and then apparently tested it in warmups before deciding not to go.

QB Garrett Gilbert, sixth round, No. 214 overall: Gilbert was the third quarterback in the game, playing 19 snaps before his day was finished. For the second time in as many weeks, his performance was mostly nondescript. He went three-of-six for 32 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions though it’s hard to judge much of his performance considering the shaky protection.

OT Mitchell Van Dyk, seventh round, No. 226 overall: Van Dyk played 39 snaps, including a lot of work at guard. Fellow young lineman Sean Hooey struggled more but Van Dyk wasn’t far behind. He’s a developmental project who is probably going to have to go the practice squad route to stick around.

S Christian Bryant, seventh round, No. 241 overall: After sitting last week, Bryant made his first preseason appearance, playing 17 defensive snaps and two on special teams. He didn’t offer anything in the way of statistical output but the act of being back on the field at least gives him a chance to compete over the next couple of weeks.

DE Michael Sam, seventh round, No. 249 overall: Sam came in later than he did in the first preseason game, waiting until the third defense entered before getting a chance. When all was said and done, though, Sam played 27 defensive snaps with three more on special teams and was effective for most of them. He posted his first sack to go with two tackles and a pair of quarterback hits. He remains in the hunt for a roster spot.

C Demetrius Rhaney, seventh round, No. 250 overall: Rhaney suffered an injury in practice earlier in the week and did not play.

Undrafted rookie roundup: Defensive lineman Ethan Westbrooks was one of the team’s standouts against the Packers, racking up four tackles, a sack and two quarterback hits on 39 snaps. As expected, his stock is rising. … Cornerback Marcus Roberson was a surprise starter in place of Janoris Jenkins but played 34 defensive snaps and six more on special teams. He had just one tackle but showed good instincts in coverage and has at least nudged his way into the conversation for a roster spot. … Tight end Alex Bayer followed his big first outing with a much quieter second effort. On 37 offensive snaps and 11 on special teams, Bayer caught the lone pass thrown his way for 11 yards but struggled as a blocker.

Three Rams who didn’t help themselves
By Nick Wagoner

http://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.

Young defenders try to make their mark with the Rams
• By Joe Lyons

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/young-defenders-try-to-make-their-mark-with-the-rams/article_10a71e95-0c64-52d7-ad69-e440ee5599c7.html

Cody 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.’’

Bradford is good, but Packers are better
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/bradford-is-good-but-packers-are-better/article_b0159eed-e9b6-5ffe-8007-e06ea0fecae9.html

The 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.”

Bradford’s return a step in right direction
By Nick Wagoner

http://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.

Bradford strong in return for Rams
By Nate Latsch

http://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.

Observation Deck: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://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.

W2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10510/w2w4-st-louis-rams-2

EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and Green Bay Packers play their second preseason games Saturday afternoon at the Edward Jones Dome. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET. Here are three things to watch for from the Rams’ end:

1. Bradford’s return: Quarterback Sam Bradford hasn’t played in an NFL game for exactly 300 days after suffering a torn left anterior cruciate ligament last October. But after an extensive rehab, Bradford will play against the Packers. For how long remains to be seen. Coach Jeff Fisher indicated Thursday that Bradford would play about a quarter.

Bradford has looked healthy and taken all of the reps with the first-team offense in training camp but he has yet to take a hit. He said this week he isn’t as concerned about that as others but he’ll be happy simply to get it out of the way and get back on the field.

2. Sorting the secondary: The Rams were without three of their top cornerbacks last week against the Saints but it looks like they’ll get Trumaine Johnson and Brandon McGee back against Green Bay. Janoris Jenkins’ status is more up in the air after sitting last week and again in practice most of this week. He did practice Thursday but Fisher was uncertain whether he’d play.

That should mean plenty of opportunities for the Rams to take a long look at the safeties and cornerbacks vying for roster spots. Rookie E.J. Gaines was a standout last week in making the most of his increased opportunity and he figures to get more work this week as he continues building his case for a spot. Behind Jenkins, Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner and McGee, the Rams have plenty of opportunities for players like Gaines, Darren Woodard, Greg Reid and Marcus Roberson to battle for what is likely only one or two more spots.

The same applies to safety, where starters T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod are entrenched as starters and rookie Maurice Alexander is also probably safe. But Cody Davis struggled last week and could use a rebound performance in his efforts to fend off the likes of Matt Daniels and Christian Bryant.

3. Cleaning up mistakes: Like almost every team in the league at this time of year, the Rams struggled in the preseason opener with tackling and penalties, among other basic fundamentals. Missed tackles are par for the course in the preseason opener since it’s the first time most teams tackle live, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be important for the Rams to fix those miscues as the preseason goes on. That doesn’t mean they’ll be perfect, but the expectation has to be improvement. Part of that improvement has to come from the linebacker corps. Beyond the starters, the Rams have no experienced depth, and Ray-Ray Armstrong and Phillip Steward struggled against the Packers.

As for the penalties, Fisher attributes them to young players who won’t make the roster. While that’s true, it’s still something his team needs to work on after finishing second in the league in infractions a year ago.

Rams-Packers: 5 Things to Watch
• By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-packers-things-to-watch/article_bdad83f4-8397-5b0e-9126-777fc3a3d782.html

Stopping the run • Granted, only half of the normal first-team defense played against New Orleans. But no matter who was out there, 99 yards rushing allowed in the first half, at 7.1 yards a carry, was too much. The Packers had 90 yards rushing — and 4.7 yards a carry — in the first half against Tennessee last week. Green Bay’s offensive line could be its best in several years. #bigchallenge.

Sam vs. Westbrooks • Michael Sam played fairly well against the Saints. But Ethan Westbrooks played even better. Both are battling for what looks like the fifth and final spot at defensive end on the 53-man roster. Westbrooks’ cause is aided because he can also play defensive tackle. Fisher believes Sam will play even better today now that he’s got any opening-day jitters out of the way.

Backfield stable II • The top three RBs — Zac Stacy, Benny Cunningham and Tre Mason — all had their moments vs. New Orleans. Chase Reynolds even got a decent amount of work. Now add Isaiah Pead and Trey Watts to the mix. Pead, a second-round pick in 2012, should make his preseason debut after missing the Saints game with a hand injury. Ditto for undrafted rookie Watts, out last week with a hamstring.

Flag football • Only three of the Rams’ 14 penalties committed against the Saints were by players who should definitely be on the 53-man roster in September: TE Lance Kendricks, DB Lamarcus Joyner, and S Cody Davis. Even so, 14 is way too many flags no matter who is the guilty party. If that number doesn’t shrink dramatically, there could be more wind sprints after practice next week.

The long shots • Sixth-round draft pick E.J. Gaines, the cornerback from Mizzou, and undrafted rookie Alex Bayer, the tight end from Bowling Green, both made major pushes for roster spots with impressive showings against the Saints. Whose turn is it this week? The Rams still have a roster spot or two up for grabs on the offensive line and in the secondary, and perhaps one at linebacker.

Jake Long’s return set for next week
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10542/jake-longs-return-set-for-next-week

EARTH CITY, Mo. — When asked in the spring about a timetable for a return for St. Louis Rams left tackle Jake Long, coach Jeff Fisher said the hope was to get him back on the field about halfway through the preseason.

Long has actually been back on the field for most of the past two weeks, working in his first full practices since tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee in December. In fact, Long has been practicing so much that there was even a possibility that he could play in the second preseason game Saturday against the Green Bay Packers.

Fisher snuffed out those ideas Thursday when he made it clear the Rams intend to stick to the plan they’ve had for Long all along. That means a return against the Cleveland Browns in preseason Game 3 next week.

“I’m going to wait another week for Jake,” Fisher said. “Jake’s doing a great job out here, but we’re going to wait another week for Jake and that’ll be the case with a couple other guys.”

Getting Long back on this schedule seemed optimistic from the outset but the Rams have been steadfast in their plan and it appears to be coming closer to fruition. Of course, simply having Long back on the field and having him back at 100 percent are two different things and only time will tell how healthy and effective he is.

Nonetheless, it’s a good sign that Long will at least be able to play in the preseason and knock some of the rust off before the regular season begins.

“He’s worked very hard and he’s doing well out here,” Fisher said. “Had no setbacks in his reps. He’s participated in the padded practices and all that. Yeah, he’s like we say, he’s right on schedule. He’s right where we thought he would be and our target is the Cleveland game.”

Offensive line coach Paul Boudreau believes it’s important for Long to get some live game reps before the season in the same way it’s important for quarterback Sam Bradford to get some work. Get those early hits out of the way and see how they react when their knees are put to the stress test.

“The good thing is there’s very little or no swelling and his mental state is very confident,” Boudreau said. “He needs to get in a game, he needs to get rolled up. God forbid, he gets rolled up but then he can see his leg is still attached, that’s the whole thing. When you’re injured, that’s the biggest task. Hey, it’s fixed. That right now is the next thing, the mental part of it.”

Fisher also mentioned that right guard Rodger Saffold is “close” to returning from a stinger. Barring any more injuries — which is far from certain with this group — the Rams could have their starting five together sooner than later.