Practice Report 10/9: Gearing up for Rodgers

Myles Simmons

http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-109-Gearing-up-for-Rodgers/77feae98-decf-45bb-8bb2-636e4893135a

The Rams will have a tough challenge on their hands going up against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the vaunted Green Bay offense. And they will have to do it without linebacker Alec Ogletree.

With the Georgia product slated to miss extended time with a lower-leg fracture, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams said the Rams have gone to the mantra of ‘next man up.’

“One of the things that we have here is a next man up philosophy,” Williams said. “We’re going to miss him because he’s so dominant. But, he’s been around here and his spirit has been good.”

One of those men to replace him will be Akeem Ayers. While the linebacker has been playing on the strong side for St. Louis, Ayers has played at ‘Will’ before in the same defensive scheme.

“That’s good and there’s not any hesitation in them with terminology,” Williams said. “He’s got a familiarity base and that’s good.”

Also, the Rams have safety Mark Barron, who can do a lot to fill in given his versatility. Williams said Barron has done well in different packages playing inside the box as a safety.

“Nobody should count him out on anything,” Williams said. “There’s other multiple of guys that we have going in at that position. We’ve just got to get the right one out on the field at the right time.”

Of course, going against Rodgers is no easy task at any point. But the quarterback has been particularly impressive in 2015, according to Williams.

He’s playing very confidently,” Williams said. “One of the things I think I heard a couple of weeks ago from whatever that sports science show is, it’s kind of a cool show anyway, but the speed of his release is amazing.”

Williams said a significant part of the strategy will be to just disrupt the timing between Rodgers an his receivers. But the team knows Green Bay will likely use quick passes to attempt to negate the effects of the Rams’ pass rush.

“We go into the game and you’re going to have to adapt and improvise on whatever the skill set is needed for that week and game,” Williams said. “Even from a statistical standpoint, there’s things that go on in a game, every game takes on the life of its own.”

Plus, there’s the matter of Rodgers’ 486 regular-season passing attempts at Lambeau Field without throwing a pick. Williams said he wasn’t necessarily aware of it early in the week, but the players have brought it up as part of the team’s overall philosophy.

“Really, it’s our mantra every week. We’ve got to take the ball away,” Williams said. “We’ve got to do a good job of creating shorter fields, creating the situations for our offense. Someone told me a stat the other day that we had six takeaways as a team and all six takeaways as a team has resulted in points for our offense, which is outstanding.”

“We’re going to have our work cut out for us,” Williams added, “but our guys are up for it and they’ve studied very hard.”

INJURY REPORT

It looks like the Rams should get two key contributors back this week, as Chase Reynolds (knee) is listed as probable and Eugene Sims (knee) is listed as questionable.

Both players were injured in the Rams’ first contest of the season against the Seahawks. Reynolds, a key special teams contributor, and Sims, a key rotation player on the defensive line both fully participated in practice throughout the week.

Also on the report, wide receiver Kenny Britt sat out Friday’s practice with a knee injury, but is listed as probable. Safety Maurice Alexander did not participate in practice all week and is listed as doubtful. Finally, linebacker Alec Ogletree is out.

Though he’s listed on the injury report because he did not practice, defensive end Robert Quinn missed Friday’s session because his wife gave birth to a baby girl.

“I told him that was more important than what we were doing,” head coach Jeff Fisher said.

GIVE A LOOK

Linebacker Daren Bates is one of the Rams’ special teams captains, and he’s also often on the scout team, helping the offense prepare for what it will see from the opposition on Sunday. Today, Bates it to another level, sporting a long blonde wig under his helmet as he played the role of linebacker Clay Matthews.

“He’s a little shorter than Clay,” Fisher said of Bates. “He’s watched Clay. I’m sure he grew up watching Clay and has a great deal of respect for Clay. Obviously, we need to know where he is every snap. So, that’s why we dressed him up a little bit.”

The wig didn’t change anything about the way the players practiced, though it did add some brevity to Friday’s session.

“It shocked me, too. I didn’t know that was coming,” Williams said. “You can see those guys doing all of that kind of fun stuff. The hard part of the business is the preparation, your body feeling tough at times. But, all of the sudden you can laugh and joke and have some good times and promote some spirit. That was kind of cool.”

That said, Williams had some choice words for just how it affects the linebacker’s appearance on the field.

“It really didn’t look really good on him. His look right there — he battles looks anyways,” Williams joked. “He doesn’t need any more things to hurt him, that’s for sure.”

Packers concerned with Rams pass rush
Defense looks to bother Aaron Rodgers

http://www.channel3000.com/sports/packers/rams-pass-rush-up-next-to-try-to-slow-packers-at-home/35737240

In studying the Green Bay Packers on film, Rams coach Jeff Fisher sees a defense that can go step for step with his team when it comes to rushing the quarterback.

Unfortunately for St. Louis, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is no ordinary quarterback.

The Rams are up next Sunday for Rodgers at Lambeau Field, where the Packers have the league’s longest active winning streak at home, 11 games.

“I don’t think there’s anything underrated about him at all,” Fisher said. “You watch him on tape, he extends plays. He extends to his right, to his left, steps up, runs for first downs and just he knows what to do with the football.”

Foremost among those responsibilities for Rodgers is taking care of the football for the unbeaten Packers (4-0).

Through four games, the league MVP has thrown 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. At Lambeau, Rodgers hasn’t thrown an interception since Dec. 2, 2012, spanning NFL home records of 486 straight pass attempts and 43 touchdowns.

The Rams (2-2) will try to rattle Rodgers with a tough pass rush. They’re tied with Green Bay with 17 sacks, one behind the league-leading Denver Broncos.

St. Louis is unique in that its defense can collapse a pocket from the inside-out with athletic tackle Aaron Donald leading the way. The Packers had one of the league’s top offensive lines last season, though the protection hasn’t been airtight this year.

“Everybody has a pass rush plan … It will be clear what their plan is as far as how they want to come in here Sunday because of Aaron’s ability to step out of (gaps) or when one side collapses,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “That’s all part of the game. It’s part of a chess match.”

YOUNG RAMS: St. Louis went on the road last week to hand previously undefeated Arizona its first loss. Rookie running back Todd Gurley finished strong in his first NFL start after rushing for 106 of his 146 yards in the fourth quarter.

The performance gave a confidence boost to a relatively inexperienced offensive line with two rookie starters.

“There’s nothing like success,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. “We want to move on and get another one.”

NO RUSH: Green Bay’s rush defense has been stout of late, limiting starting running backs to an average of about 36 yards on 11 carries over the last three games. Mike Daniels and B.J. Raji are off to strong starts on the line, and linebacker Clay Matthews has been making plays whether he’s lined up on the inside or outside.

The defense is succeeding even without two of its better run defenders: safety Morgan Burnett (calf) has missed three of the last four games, while starting inside linebacker Sam Barrington (right foot) is out for the year.

SACKS STREAK: Stopping the run on early downs allows the Packers to focus on the pass rush on third-and-longs. Rodgers and the offense also have a propensity to score early at home to put teams in catch-up situations that can make opposing offenses even more one-dimensional.

Those are key factors in why the Packers have compiled 13 sacks over the last two games. Matthews and Julius Peppers are elite pass rushers, though the Packers are also getting pressure from a deep group of outside linebackers including Nick Perry, Mike Neal and up-and-comer Jayrone Elliott.

MEN IN MIDDLE: Speaking of getting to the quarterback, the Rams’ Donald is already one of the best in the business in just his second year in the league. The defensive tackle and 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year has 3 1/2 sacks to pace St. Louis’ formidable front. The interior of the Green Bay line is strong with center Corey Linsley flanked by guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang.

BACKFIELD WRINKLE: Green Bay added a different wrinkle last week against San Francisco by lining up receivers Randall Cobb and Ty Montgomery in the backfield for a series, to solid results. It gives Rodgers two speedy and athletic weapons lined up next to him, and opposing defenses a new worry.

“I would ask the defensive coordinators that, but I think both guys can run with the football and they can both catch it,” Rodgers said.

Agamemnon wrote:

Robinson blocked one of the quickest DB’s in the league, on one of our TD’s, and he was the one who noticed, communicated, and picked up the blitz, on a the player that was lined up two gaps out side of him. Now, that’s an island.

Here is the video. It is on the All 22.

http://www.stlouisrams.com/videos/videos/All-22-Foles-to-Austin-for-a-Touchdown/eef2a336-6668-451c-818c-9d67a6070d51

Yeah interesting, thnx

Nick Foles’ calm under pressure key in Rams’ wins

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/22266/nick-foles-calm-under-pressure-key-in-rams-wins

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Many would argue that the hardest thing to do in football is stand in the pocket as a quarterback and deliver a well-timed, accurate pass knowing that at any moment you could be hit from any angle.

It’s what separates the great quarterbacks from the, well, not so great ones. St. Louis Rams quarterback Nick Foles has been a little bit of both in the team’s first four games. It’s no coincidence that when he’s been good against pressure, the Rams have won. When he’s been average or worse, they’ve lost.

Never was Foles’ performance against pressure on better display than last week’s 24-22 win against the Arizona Cardinals. Facing Arizona’s blitz late in the game, Foles knew he was going to take a shot but stood tall and delivered a strike to Tavon Austin for the game-winning touchdown. He even pulled back on the throw before reloading and firing.

How did he manage to do it?

“You really just have to trust your linemen, trust them to pick it up,” Foles said. “Or if they have an extra guy, just maneuver around in the pocket. The situation during the game at the end is we needed a score, so it’s one of those times where no matter what it takes, you try to get the ball off and give the guy a chance. On that particular play, Tavon was able to really get across the field and I was able to put it around the guy. It all started with the O-line keeping the guys off of me.”

But the Rams’ offensive line hasn’t been able to consistently keep guys off of Foles. While they have managed to mostly limit sacks — the Rams have allowed six in four games — Foles has found himself under duress or hit on 26 occasions, 13 times in the team’s two wins and 13 times in the team’s two losses, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

In the victories, Foles is seven-of-13 for 103 yards and a touchdown with six first-down conversions when under pressure. In the losses, he’s five-of-13 for 24 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and just one first down. The difference is only two completions but the yards per attempt drops from 7.9 to 1.8 in the wins versus the losses.

According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics of passing under pressure, Foles has an 85.3 quarterback rating under pressure but that number jumps to 103.6 when he has a clean pocket. But Foles has also thrown four of his five touchdown passes against the blitz, proving that he has the ability to not only stand and deliver under pressure but deliver big plays.

This week, Foles will face a Green Bay Packers defense that ranks first in the NFL in sacks per passing attempt (13 percent), tied for second in sacks (17) and third in disrupted drop backs (a combination of sacks, passes defended, batted balls and interceptions).

“We talked about it today,” Fisher said. “(Foles) got hit too many times. We have to get better there. I don’t like to see our quarterback on the ground. But when he hung in there, he bought himself time. He trusted a clean pocket and got the ball down the field.”

Which means that even though the Rams and Foles are playing a Packers team known for its offense, Foles and the offensive line will have to be on point when Green Bay brings the heat.

Credit the Rams’ O-Line for Gelling in Gurley’s Big Game

Posted by: Anthony Stalter

http://www.101sports.com/2015/10/06/credit-the-rams-o-line-for-gelling-in-gurleys-big-game/

At 10:48 left in the fourth quarter with the Rams leading by only two, Todd Gurley burst through a hole and rumbled for 52 yards to the Arizona 16-yard-line.

Those 52 yards were part of a 146-yard effort from Gurley as he helped the Rams pick up a 24-22 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday. Gurley has since become the talk among Rams fans, and he deserves the spotlight.

But, Gurley didn’t accomplish the feat by himself.

The Rams’ offensive line has been a lighting rod for criticism since the start of the preseason. Last week in the team’s loss to Pittsburgh, the O-line did its part to suffocate the offense by failing to open up holes in the running game and taking pressure off quarterback Nick Foles.

Some argued that the line held up fine in pass protection, but when defenses shut down a running game they can sit back in coverage in third-and-long and force quarterbacks to make difficult throws in clogged passing windows. Unless we’re talking about the truly elite, QBs can only do so much with no running game and no passing game playmakers.

But something clicked in the desert last Sunday. Suddenly a much maligned offensive line started executing and when you have a back like Gurley, who is capable of breaking tackles and gaining yards after contact, a 5-yard run turns into a 10-yard run.

Or a 52-yard run.

Take that play early in the fourth quarter as example. Out of an Off-set I, the Rams ran a stretch play to their left. At the snap, the offensive line stepped to their left in unison, which is a staple of the new zone-blocking scheme put in place by offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti this spring.

Left guard Jamon Brown and center Tim Barnes executed a perfect double team on Calais Campbell, who winds up being pancaked by Brown. Barnes then slipped off the double team and worked to the second level (another staple of the zone-blocking scheme), where he walled off safety Tony Jefferson (who had lined up in the box for run support).

Also play-side was left tackle Greg Robinson, who put Josh Mauro on skates and wiped him out of the play. Backside, Rodger Saffold blocked down and tossed Ed Stinson like a rag doll, which, along with the work that Barnes, Brown and Robinson put in, created a massive running lane for Gurley.

Gurley did the rest, bursting up field while slipping a tackle and out-running Rashad Johnson before Tyrann Mathieu finally pushed him out of bounds 52 yards later.

Some fans were enraged when the Rams selected Gurley with the 10th overall pick back in April. They asked why, after Zac Stacy showed promise as a rookie, would the Rams draft Gurley when, “they already had running backs on the roster?”

That’s why. That same run may have only netted 12 yards instead of 52 had it been Stacy. Gurley’s combination of size and speed make him special – a playmaker. A difference maker.

But the Rams didn’t receive that type of blocking in the first three games. Even in the win over Seattle, the initial double-team that Brown and Barnes executed was non-existent. Running backs were being met in gaps because the Rams’ O-line wasn’t getting to the second level of the defense. And even when linemen did, they were whiffing on blocks.

That wasn’t Gurley’s only explosive run and that wasn’t the only time the Rams’ offensive linemen executed in the second half. You don’t gain 7.7 yards per carry as a back if you don’t have multiple explosive runs created by your own talents and the ability of your offensive line to create running lanes.

The Arizona game is how teams draw it up. It’s how the Rams envisioned their running game would look back in April.

Now, as with anything else as it pertains to the Rams, we need to see consistency out of the O-line moving forward. It’s time for that group to build off it’s performance in the second half so that the Rams can stay in contention all season

Numbers don’t lie with Rodgers

Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/numbers-don-t-lie-with-rodgers/article_6e07daa8-9d70-537e-bb63-16503ba55e12.html

The numbers for Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field are so phenomenal, they defy imagination. Over his last 19 games at home, the Green Bay quarterback has gone 580 passing attempts without throwing an interception.

Not 80. Not 180. We’re talking five hundred eighty. In that span, Rodgers has thrown 48 touchdown passes.

With his mobility, vision, and creativity, he’s anything but a robot. But he plays with robotic-like efficiency. The guy never makes mistakes.

“He doesn’t,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He throws the ball away. And that’s the thing about him. If he gets himself in a third down situation he doesn’t like, he just sails the ball out of bounds and knows he’s going to get another series.’

Rodgers is accurate, decisive, and crafty. If the Rams play their usual off-coverage at cornerback, he’ll be more than happy to pick them apart underneath. That’s the slow death. If they change strategy and get over-aggressive on receivers, his cannon arm will throw it over their heads. That’s the sudden death.

He has one of the best hard-counts in the business, and when he’s draws you offside, he’s not content just to get the five-yard penalty. He’ll try to make you pay by going deep on what amounts to a free play.

If you’re slow getting personnel on and off the field against the Packers’ no-huddle, he’ll get the play off quickly to take advantage.

“What a phenomenal challenge,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “It’s a lot more fun when you play a rookie quarterback and you know the coach is telling him to do this no matter what, and you trick him, and then you steal one from him. You ain’t stealing one from Aaron Rodgers.”

Rodgers caps a daunting trifecta of elite quarterbacks the Rams have faced back-to-back-to-back. First came Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, then Arizona’s Carson Palmer, now Rodgers. Between them, they have nine Pro Bowls and three Super Bowl titles. This season, all three have passer ratings in excess of 100. But there’s no doubt at Rams Park that Rodgers is king of the hill.

“He’s the best in the biz because he is mobile,” Laurinaitis said. “He can run. People kind of sleep on how athletic he is.”

“Guys like him don’t come around too often,” defensive end William Hayes said. “He’s what Peyton Manning used to be. He’s the best right now in the league.”

Such high praise is telling, because NFL players frequently are hesitant to rate players who play the same position. It speaks volumes about the respect the Rams have for Rodgers.

“He definitely gets that engine going,” safety T.J. McDonald said. “He’s a heckuva player. You know he’s a good player, but when you watch the film it just reinforces it that much more.”

“I think the plays that he makes with his feet go unnoticed sometimes and he’s able to throw his receivers open and makes their life a lot easier. . . .All he needs is small window and he can fit it in there.”

Entering Sunday, Rodgers leads the NFL in passer rating (125.9), having thrown 11 touchdowns and no interceptions, with a 72.4 completion percentage.

Rodgers has posted a 100-plus passer rating in 10 consecutive home games, tying an NFL record set by Kurt Warner in 1999-2000. The Rams will be hard-pressed to keep Rodgers from the record.

Obviously, the Rams will try to get after him with one of the league’s best pass rushes. Their 17 sacks are tied for second in the league (with Green Bay), and just one off the pace of league-leading Denver. But getting Rodgers to the ground is easier said than done.

“It’s hard to get your hands on him,” Hayes said. “He’s always got his eyes downfield. You think you’ve got a sack on him and he just knows how to step up in the pocket real well, and he can run.”

Merely staying in your rush lanes and maintaining outside containment, like you might do against a Russell Wilson of Seattle, isn’t always good enough against Rodgers.

“He’s different from Russell from a standpoint that he’s just a little bit taller,” Fisher said. “(Rodgers) can see. So if you keep him in the pocket, he’s gonna hurt you in the pocket. At times, Russell will lose track of what’s going on down the field and take off.”

So the Rams will try to mix coverages and looks up front. Rest assured, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will draw up his share of blitzes. And the Rams must challenge Green Bay receivers as much as possible.

The Rams have thought of everything this week in preparing, with Fisher even blowing an air horn near the line off scrimmage in practice Wednesday in an effort to induce the Rams’ defensive front into jumping offside.

When the teams last met in the regular season, in 2012 in St. Louis, the Rams were penalized three times for either being offside or in the neutral zone. The Rams still have 10 defensive players, including six starters, who played in a 30-20 Packers victory.

“This is probably gonna be one of those weeks where you can’t really focus on ‘get-off’ as much because he’s definitely the best in the league when it comes to drawing you offsides,” Hayes said.

To emphasize the point, Fisher even blew the air horn in defensive meetings Wednesday morning, startling some players — Hayes included.

“We were in there looking at film, and he brings the air horn in,” Hayes said. “I jumped up then. That might not be a good sign for me. I guess that was a sign telling me I need to be a little bit more disciplined.”

Fisher uses air horn to keep Rams defensive lineman from jumping offside

Mike Florio

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co…-rams-defensive-lineman-from-jumping-offside/

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has demonstrated an uncanny ability to: (1) draw a defense offside with a hard count; and (2) throw the ball down the field for big chunks of yardage during the ensuing free play. The Rams, who play at Lambeau Field on Sunday, hope to avoid those penalties. And coach Jeff Fisher has employed one specific device to keep them in check.

An air horn.

“That’s just a message to the D-line on the hard count,” Fisher told reporters on Wednesday. “No one uses the hard count better than Aaron. And everybody week after week, you’ll read clips and things and all the defensives work against it. ‘We were ready for it.’ He pulls them offsides two or three times a game. So, I woke them up in their meeting room this morning with the horn, just to send a message.”

What did the defensive linemen think of hearing the air horn in the meeting room?

“Some were pissed,” Fisher said. “It scared them.”

Rodgers should scare them even more.

“You watch him on tape, he extends plays,” Fisher said. “He extends to his right, to his left, steps up, runs for first downs and just he knows what to do with the football. He’s pretty impressive.”

How does he compare to a mobile quarterback the Rams already have beaten this year,Russell Wilson?

“Well, he’s different from Russell from a standpoint that he’s just a little bit taller,” Fisher said of Rodgers. “He can see. So, if you keep him in the pocket, he’s going to hurt you in the pocket. At times, Russell will lose track of what’s going on down the field and take off. [Rodgers] will beat you with his legs and his arm. But you just have to change things up as best you can and challenge their receivers.”

It won’t be easy, but the Rams have the talent to have as much success as anyone. Especially if that air horn keeps them from jumping offside.

Ogletree has fibula surgery, no decision from Rams on his season yet

nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/22194/alec-ogletree-has-fibula-surgery-but-no-decision-from-rams-on-his-season-yet

EARTH CITY, Mo. — St. Louis Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree entered a sort of injury limbo after undergoing surgery on his fractured right fibula Tuesday morning.

According to Rams coach Jeff Fisher, the surgery was a success. But after Fisher said earlier in the week that Ogletree would either land on injured reserve or injured reserve with the designation to return, Fisher opted for surprise door No. 3: none of the above.

“We have decided not to use the IR designation at this point,” Fisher said. “So, he’ll be out, designated as a Sunday inactive and out. We’ll just kind of see how things go, and there’s a chance for a return. We’re just going to see how things go.”

Ogletree suffered the injury in last week’s 24-22 win against the Arizona Cardinals. He was taken from the field on a cart and the early speculation was that he could miss the entire season.

But just because the Rams aren’t placing him on any form of injured reserve right now should not necessarily be viewed as an indication he’ll be back sooner than the eight weeks a player designated to return would. Or even that he’ll return at all this season.

“It’s going to be longer than eight weeks, but there’s a chance for a return,” Fisher said. “Right now, we use the roster spot.”

In other words, Ogletree’s injury is going to take quite awhile but keeping him from going on injured reserve with the designation to return right now buys the Rams time and flexibility moving forward without having to make a decision after eight weeks. The Rams play at Green Bay this week and then have their bye the following week.

By waiting a couple of weeks, the Rams could theoretically use the designated to return spot on Ogletree then and get him back eight weeks later after what would by then be a 10-week recovery. They also maintain the ability to get a better gauge on when or if Ogletree might return or, in a more unfortunate scenario, save the designated to return spot in case there’s another serious injury.

“In the future, if we need to use the designated IR, designated for return, then we still have it available,” Fisher said.

It could also be an indication of where the Rams might believe they’ll be at the end of the season. Which is to say that Ogletree might not be back before late in the season but if the team is in the playoff mix then, he could possibly return in time for postseason action.

From a roster perspective, the Rams re-signed linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar on Tuesday but didn’t have to make a corresponding roster move because there was an opening after the weekend trade of receiver Chris Givens to Baltimore.

The Rams will still have a decision to make on the roster in the near future with running back Trey Watts returning from a four-game suspension. Watts is back with the team and on the practice field but has a one-week roster exemption before the Rams must choose whether to put him on the 53-man roster.

It’s all but certain that Watts will return to the mix next week, which could land Ogletree on some form of injured reserve then or the Rams could go a different direction to create the roster spot. As for replacing Ogletree in the lineup, that job now falls to Akeem Ayers, who is switching from the strong side to the weak side

Packers’ Next Opponent: St. Louis Rams scouting report

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-next-opponent-st-louis-rams-scouting-report-b99591053z1-331000501.html

Green Bay — Under coach Jeff Fisher, the St. Louis Rams have won as a 9-point underdog against Denver in 2014, as a 7 ½-point underdog at Indianapolis in 2013 and as a 7-point underdog Sunday in Arizona.

Now Fisher’s Rams would be able to top those upsets, at least on paper, with a victory Sunday over the unbeaten Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers are favored by 9 ½.

“St. Louis, 23-20,” said an executive in personnel for an AFC team. “Because the Rams can get to Aaron Rodgers with their front four and their secondary has good coverage ability. The Rams also have plenty of playmakers to be productive running and passing.”

The Rams’ formidable rush was the reason a pair of assistant coaches for teams that played St. Louis forecast a close game that will be won by the Packers, 17-10.

“Anybody that thinks St. Louis is easy…if you’ve got a defensive line like they’ve got, if you just don’t beat yourselves, you’ve got a chance to be in every game,” one coach said. “You’ve never seen a front like these guys.

“Despite Aaron Rodgers and all that crew, I’m going to say it’s not going to be a high-scoring game. The Rams’ offense is nothing special but this running back is really good.”

Not quite 11 months removed from reconstructive knee surgery, Todd Gurley exploded in the second half for most of his 146 yards in 19 carries as the Rams beat the Cardinals, 24-22.

“Gurley’s going to make some yards if you don’t get him hemmed in, but I think the Packers will be able to do that pretty effectively,” the other coach said. “But I’ll tell you what. They’re going to have to do some pass blocking against that rushing line. They’re really good.”

A personnel man for an NFC club called for a 27-10 triumph for Green Bay.

“Gurley has star ability and, behind an average at best offensive line, will stress Green Bay a little early,” he said. “But St. Louis can’t consistently block Green Bay’s pressures and they don’t have a No. 1 wide receiver.

“Rodgers, with his quick release, mobility and command of the offense will make St. Louis’ D-line less effective. Green Bay’s receivers and tight end can take advantage of the Rams’ linebackers and average secondary.”

OFFENSE

Scheme

First-year coordinator Frank Cignetti, who coached QBs alongside Mike McCarthy in New Orleans from 2000-’01, calls the plays. The new zone-blocking run game focuses on getting the back at least to the hole. Cignetti uses bunch sets of receivers and tear sweeps featuring the exciting Tavon Austin. The Rams are tied for seventh in turnovers (four), 25th in points (18.5) and 32nd in yards (287.8).

Receivers

The return of Brian Quick (6-3 ½, 218) last week from a mid-2014 shoulder injury provides a fourth capable WR. The best probably is former Titan Kenny Britt (6-3, 223), the 30th pick in 2009. He has 34-inch arms, can get deep, is a gigantic target and runs hard after the catch. Austin (5-8 ½, 176), the eighth pick in ’13, has instant acceleration, a 40 time of 4.30 and stop-start quickness. The Rams use him like Seattle used Percy Harvin: slot, reverses, bubble screens, etc. Stedman Bailey (5-10, 193), a third-round pick in ’13, runs exquisite routes and catches everything. His speed, however, is average (4.53) and he’s too thin for heavy exposure inside. Quick, a second-round pick in ’12, finally was starting to emerge last year when injury struck. He remains big, fast and unrefined. Former Titans TE Jared Cook (6-4 ½, 254) runs extremely well, has 35 ¾ arms and stretches defenses vertically. His hands are shaky, however, and his blocking is marginal. Lance Kendricks (6-3, 250), who played at Milwaukee King and UW, is a four-year starter. He lacks some size and also will drop, but is athletic, catches consistently and runs about 4.6. TE-FB Cory Harkey (6-4, 259) lacks ball skills but gets after people as a point-of-attack blocker.

Offensive line

The leader, LT Greg Robinson (6-5, 332), is far from being a great player after being the No. 2 pick in the ’14 draft. He has long arms (35), strong hands and a mean streak. Just 22, he’s still learning how to play. His feet are good, not great. The other solid regular is RG Rodger Saffold (6-4 ½, 332), a second-round pick in ’10 whose six-year career as a starter has been interrupted frequently by injury. He still moves well and has the mass to anchor, but most guards are more physical. Two rookies, LG Jamon Brown (6-3 ½, 323) and RT Rob Havenstein (6-7 ½, 321), and C Tim Barnes (6-3 ½, 306) are first-year starters. Brown, a third-round pick, takes up space, has long arms (34 3/8) and is effective in close quarters. Barnes is smart, agile and strong enough but struggles getting up to the LB level and working in space. Havenstein, the former Badger drafted in the second round, is another mauler. So far, he has held up OK.

Quarterbacks

Nick Foles (6-5, 243), the Eagles’ third-round pick in ’12, started 25 games over three years, posting a 15-10 record and passer rating of 94.5. He was magnificent (rating of 149.5, 38 yards rushing) in Game 9 of 2013 when the Eagles won at Lambeau Field, 27-13. On March 10, coach Chip Kelly traded Foles plus second- and fourth-round picks to St. Louis for QB Sam Bradford and a No. 5 pick. After four starts, Foles ranks 15th at 96.5. His arm strength, touch and accuracy are adequate. He takes few chances and makes adequate decisions. He scored 29 on the Wonderlic intelligence test. His 40 time is a ponderous 5.1. Case Keenum (6-1, 205), who started 10 games for Houston in 2013-’14 (2-8, 76.8 rating) is No. 2. He has a weak arm but isn’t afraid to use it.

Running backs

Rookie Todd Gurley (6-0 ½, 227), the 10th pick, broke out Sunday in his second game since undergoing ACL surgery Nov. 15. He has breakaway speed, a downhill approach, tremendous body control and a workhorse mentality. He’s somewhat like a young Steven Jackson. Gurley played 36 of 53 snaps, leaving 15 for third-down back Benny Cunningham (5-9 ½, 217) and two for backup Tre Mason (5-8 ½, 207). Cunningham has excellent hands, probably handles the blitz better than Gurley and exudes toughness. Mason, a third-round pick in ’14, led the team in rushing (765, 4.3) last year. He’s quicker than fast.

DEFENSE

Scheme

Flamboyant Gregg Williams, a former head coach in Buffalo and coordinator for five other teams, rejoined Jeff Fisher in 2014. He believes in a pressure 4-3 defense that often employs just three linemen on passing downs. His base coverages in the first month have been off-man and Cover 2. The Rams rank 13th in points (22.3), tied for 13th in takeaways (six) and 16th in yards (355.5).

Defensive line

St. Louis is loaded with four first-round starters. Three-technique DT Aaron Donald (6-1, 290) and DE Robert Quinn (6-4, 264) might be the NFL’s best at their positions. Donald ran a phenomenal 4.66, has exceptional quickness off the ball, great balance, goes all-out all the time and knows how to finish. The best thing to do is run at him. Quinn, a right end only, is a remarkable athlete with 34-inch arms, 4.64 speed and an expanding repertoire of moves. No longer is he just speed. He’s working inside and power-rushing, too. NT Michael Brockers (6-5, 326), only 24, uses 35-inch arms to stack and shed effectively at the point. His rush isn’t bad, either. Chris Long (6-3, 268), the graybeard at 30, is smart (Wonderlic of 34), technically superior and tenacious. He rushes well with power or speed. Former Titan William Hayes (6-3, 278) has 25 sacks in 7½ seasons and is first off the bench. He wins mostly with power but can and will take an edge to the QB. Versatile Ethan Westbrooks (6-3 ½, 267), a rookie free agent in ’14, isn’t sound against the run but don’t sleep on him. He’s a tough, long-armed, natural rusher. Former Lions DT Nick Fairley (6-4, 308) is just 27, but injuries and weight issues appear to have robbed him of his physical edge.

Linebackers

The Rams took a major hit Sunday when WLB Alec Ogletree suffered a broken ankle. He played every snap, had 24 more tackles than any other Ram and was extremely valuable given his terrific speed. It means that SLB Akeem Ayers (6-2 ½, 255), who is averaging just 16.8 snaps, must replace Ogletree. A former Titan-Patriot, Ayers is a fluid athlete with 4.75 speed and rush skill. Hard-hitting Jo-Lonn Dunbar (6-0 ½, 235), a productive 63-game starter for the Saints and Rams from 2008-’14, was re-signed Tuesday. He knows the system and might start at SLB. MLB James Laurinaitis (6-2, 248), a durable seven-year starter, runs the defense, competes hard and never leaves the field. He isn’t a lusty hitter but gets people down and is a big-play threat.

Secondary

It’s possible that SS Mark Barron (6-1, 217), drafted No. 7 by Tampa Bay in ’12, will take many of Ogletree’s snaps in nickel. He’s small to handle a steady diet of Eddie Lacy but he is tough, physical and knows his way around the box. The Bucs traded Barron last October because his speed wasn’t conducive for playing off the hashes. Williams has always had a hybrid player to blitz, cover and tackle. SS T.J. McDonald (6-2 ½, 217), a third-round pick in ’13, is a reckless hitter who is slower than Barron and must play near the line. He gets exposed in space. Improving FS Rodney McLeod (5-9 ½, 195), a three-year starter, was an undrafted free agent. He’s undersized and runs just 4.60, but his range seems better and his game is approaching respectability. RC Janoris Jenkins (5-10, 198), a second-round pick in ’12, is a gifted cover man with 4.43 speed. His keen instincts can lead to big plays or big mistakes. LC Trumaine Johnson (6-2, 208), a third-round pick in ’12, tries to intimidate receivers downfield. He runs just 4.55, will short-circuit and tries to tackle high. No. 3 CB Lemarcus Joyner (5-8, 184), a second-round pick in ’14, is smart and tough in the slot but isn’t sudden.

Special teams

K Greg Zuerlein, a four-year regular, has a big leg and is solid. P Johnny Hekker, another four-year regular, made the Pro Bowl in ’13 and is off to another fine start for fourth-year coordinator John Fassel. Tavon Austin can be dynamite on punt returns. Benny Cunningham is a power runner on kickoffs. LB Daren Bates, Joyner and Barron excel.

***

GAME-BREAKER

When West Virginia’s Tavon Austin entered the draft in 2013, he was compared by some scouts to Reggie Bush and Randall Cobb. Primarily a wide receiver, he rushed for 344 yards against Oklahoma in 2012. Austin scored four rushing TDs, three receiving TDs and two returning TDs in 28 games during his first pro two seasons. His impact seems to have increased this year judged by the four he’s scored in the first four games. On Sunday, he caught a pair of 12-yard TD passes in posting the second-best receiving game (six for 96) of his career. In the opener, he returned a punt 75 yards for a TD against Seattle.

WEAKEST LINK

When the season started the Rams had by far the least experienced offensive line in the league. Their five starters had just 72 starts: 60 for RG Rodger Saffold, 12 for LT Greg Robinson and four for C Tim Barnes. In contrast, the Packers’ starters had 287 starts under their belts, including playoffs; one of their backups, Don Barclay, had 21. Under Paul Boudreau, an O-line coach with 29 years of NFL experience for seven teams, the Rams rank 16th in sack percentage (six allowed) and second in yards per rush (4.55). The unit won’t wow anyone with its talent, but so far it has been at least functional.

McGINN’S VIEW

Few NFL coaches know more about the game’s history than Jeff Fisher.

He won a Super Bowl ring as a safety with the Bears in 1985. He has either served or consulted on the NFL Competition Committee since 2000. This is his 21st season as an NFL coach.

Fisher knows full well that some teams have won Super Bowls with an abundance of depth in the defensive line. He appears to be following that strategy in St. Louis.

Of the Rams’ eight defensive linemen, five were drafted in the first round. Fisher selected two since taking charge in 2012: Michael Brockers in ’12 (14th pick) and Aaron Donald in ’14 (13th).

In March, Fisher gave oft-injured Nick Fairley $1.5 million guaranteed to leave Detroit as a free agent. Prior to Fisher’s hiring, the Rams drafted Chris Long with the second pick in 2008 and Robert Quinn with the 14th pick in ’11.

The Rams’ adjusted salary cap of $144.67 million includes $46.756 million for the eight D-linemen. That’s almost one-third of their payroll being spent on one position group.

In the last 30 years, three organizations that won more than one Super Bowl come to mind for their hoarding of defensive linemen.

The ’84 49ers kept all nine active in their rout of Miami. The starters, Lawrence Pillers, Manu Tuiasosopo and Dwaine Board, were backed by Fred Dean, Gary “Big Hands” Johnson, Jim Stuckey, Jeff Stover, Michael Carter and Louie Kelcher.

The ’92 Cowboys demolished Buffalo with Tony Tolbert, Tony Casillas, Russell Maryland and Charles Haley as starters and Jim Jeffcoat, Jimmie Jones, Chad Hennings and Leon Lett as backups.

The ’11 Giants shocked New England with Justin Tuck, Linval Joseph, Chris Canty and Jason Pierre-Paul backed by Osi Umenyiora, Dave Tollefson, Rocky Bernard and Jimmy Kennedy.

It remains to be seen if the Rams can build an offense to go with what can be a dominating front. At least they’re following a blueprint that has worked.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by zn.

wv wrote:

That Raven game might just have to be
played under the Thunderdome.

Ravens are a little off this year so far.