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October 23, 2015 at 7:20 pm in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32791
znModeratorNo Excuses For Rams: It’s Now or Never
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/10/23/no-excuses-for-rams-its-now-or-never/
Really, coach Jeff Fisher and the Rams are way, way overdue in putting together a winning stretch of football. There have been too many false starts for this regime, and I’m not talking about the usual jumpy offensive linemen and their penalties.
Every time the Rams win a game, you start to think that this will be it. Finally: the beginning of consistent, dependable, successful football and proof that they’re headed in a positive direction. And then … sigh … the Rams squander a game they should win and walk backwards again.
Well, the any reasonable degree of patience expired a long time ago. By the fourth season of the Fisher and GM Les Snead rebuilding project, the Rams should be more than just another mid-pack team, sitting there at 2-3. No one wants to hear about the youth of the team, or the inexperienced offensive line, or the injuries. If this is the NFL’s youngest team for the fourth year in a row, it’s because Fisher and Snead wanted it that way. If the young O-line gets overrun too often, that’s on Fisher-Snead for declining to put a more experienced group in charge of protecting quarterback Nick Foles. And injuries? Give me the name of one NFL team that hasn’t been damaged by injuries.
In his first 32 games as the Rams head coach, Fisher went 14-17-1, a winning percentage of .453 that ranked 20th in the NFL over the 2012-2013 seasons. Considering that he’d taken over a smashed pumpkin of a franchise that had lost 65 of the previous 80 games, Fisher’s first two seasons were respectable.
By Fisher’s third season, 2014, the Rams should have been on a more impressive trajectory. Yes, even with the knee injuries that put QB Sam Bradford out of action. (Could we please stop pretending that the Rams would have gone on some dynamic, unstoppable run with a healthy Bradford at QB?) Instead, since the start of the 2014 season the Rams are 8-13, a winning percentage of .381 that ranks tied for 25th in the league.
Let’s see:A .453 winning percentage in your first two seasons and 32 games.
And a .381 winning percentage over the next 21 games covering all of 2014 and the first five contests of ’15.When you rebuild a football team, isn’t it supposed to be getting better? I’ve only been covering the NFL since 1982, but that’s my understanding.
By Year Four whatever is supposed to be happening — winning streaks, division titles, a wild-card playoff spot, some postseason victories, and dare we say a conference championship or Super Bowl — should be happening. No one is asking Fisher to build the Great Pyramids here, so he doesn’t get 20+ years to complete the project.It’s time — no, it’s beyond time — for the Rams to win more than a football game or two per month.
I looked at the Fisher record on a individual monthly basis. Not counting the current month, the Rams have played 13 separate months of football with Fisher in charge. And they’ve had only three winning months out of 13. And each winning month came in a different season: the final month of 2012, November 2013 and Nov. 2014. That’s it. And each winning month was followed (naturally) by a losing month.
Fisher had a three-game winning streak late in his first season here, but hasn’t been able to repeat it. He’s had five mini-winning streaks — two games — since the start of the 2013 season.
Here’s the good news — well, at least on paper:
Home game vs. Cleveland.
Home game vs. San Francisco.
Road game at Minnesota.
Home game vs. Chicago.
Road game at Baltimore.There will be other invitations to string together wins later in the season, including consecutive home games that bring Detroit and Tampa Bay to St. Louis. But for now I just wanted to put the focus on the next five games, and not look too far into the distance. Because if the Rams stumble around and lose when they should win and fail to significantly take advantage of the next five games on their schedule, the rest of the season will be just another extension of 2012, 2013, 2014.
Cleveland, San Francisco, Minnesota, Chicago and Baltimore are a combined 10-20 this season.
A quick look at the next five opponents:
— Cleveland has a good offense but ranks 24th in points allowed and is the league’s worst defense at stopping the run, plundered for an average yield of 150 yards rushing per game. The Rams have a young line — but a massive line. The Rams also have the most exceptional and exciting Todd Gurley to give this offense a new identity. These people should be able to run block, right? They did it in junior league, high school and college football, correct? We’re not asking this O-line to split the atom; just split the Browns’ defensive front and give Gurley a cutback lane. This is Football 101, so I don’t want to hear a damned thing about how the Browns were doing this, doing that, making it difficult for the Rams to set Gurley free.
— San Francisco still puts a respectable defense on the field but the offense is last in the NFL in points per game (14.7) and 31st in yards per game. The ‘Niners have lost five of their last six games, getting outscored by 99 points in those five defeats. QB Colin Kaepernick is near the bottom of the league in passer rating. Jim Harbaugh is coaching Michigan. Frank Gore is running the ball for Indianapolis. Much of that once-ferocious defense has retired, been suspended, or splintered by free agency.
— Minnesota does have a winning record (3-2), and is 3-0 at home. But two of the home wins came against two of the league’s sorriest teams in 2015, Detroit and Kansas City. And while the Vikings have played very well defensively so far, their offense has sputtered — ranked 29th in points per game (19.2) and 30th in yards per game. If the Rams’ defense is as good as just about everybody says it is, then Gregg Williams’ wolf pack is surely capable of winning a game or two during this stretch if the Rams’ offense drifts and stalls.
— Chicago is 1-2 on the road, lost at Detroit, and fields a defense that ranks dead last in the league in points allowed (30 per game) and is 27th at stopping the run. Plus: Jay Cutler is the Bears’ quarterback and if Robert Quinn and his merry marauders can’t rattle Cutler then they should donate their game checks to charity.
— Baltimore is one of the biggest surprises of the season, but not in a way that delights my old bunkies in Bawlmer. The Ravens are 1-5 and have lost their teeth defensively, getting pushed around by opponents for an average of 27 points per game, which ranks 27th.
There’s another important aspect to this five-game stretch: the Fisher’s Rams need to collect wins away from the NFC West mosh pit. The Rams have been plenty tough against NFC West brethren Seattle, San Francisco and Arizona, going 9-10-1 with Fisher as coach. But outside the division, the Fisher record is 13-20-1.
That’s awful. That needs to change. Now. Four of the next five games will be played beyond the borders of the gates of the NFC West. If the Rams want to pull themselves out of mediocrity and become a winning team and a postseason presence, it’s time … it’s past time.
October 23, 2015 at 6:33 pm in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32784znModeratorRams must solve riddle of unfamiliar opponents
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/22733/rams-must-solve-riddle-of-unfamiliar-opponents
EARTH CITY, Mo. — To be sure, the St. Louis Rams’ record since Jeff Fisher arrived as head coach in 2012 is below average.
The Rams have yet to reach even a .500 record under Fisher, let alone find themselves in the mix for a playoff spot. But there’s also been a noticeable trend when it comes to how they perform against NFC West opponents and those from the league’s seven other divisions. Familiarity has bred more success when playing Arizona, Seattle and San Francisco than it has when facing an unfamiliar opponent.
When facing NFC West teams under Fisher, the Rams are 9-10-1, a winning percentage of .475. Against teams from the other seven divisions the Rams are 13-20, a winning percentage of .394. Taking a deeper dive, the only AFC division Fisher’s Rams has a winning record against — we won’t count the North, as they’ve only played one game against that division since 2012 — is the AFC South.
That should be no surprise, given Fisher’s familiarity with Jacksonville, Houston and Indianapolis from his time in Tennessee. Coincidentally, the only game the Rams lost when playing that division was the team Fisher knows best, the Titans. Of course, the Titans are also the team that knows Fisher the best.
Fisher’s Rams are 1-6 against the NFC North and 2-5 against the NFC East. They have, however, had some success against the NFC South with a 4-2 record.
The difference in-division vs. out is substantial enough for the Rams to take notice as they prepare to play this week’s opponent, the Cleveland Browns, for the first time under Fisher.
“I mean, the players understand the difference between the unfamiliar opponent vs. the familiar opponent and the extra time that’s involved,” Fisher said. “So they’re going to have to put the extra time in.”
By extra time, Fisher is referring to the game preparation that goes into facing an unfamiliar team.
When preparing for a Seattle or Arizona, most Rams can lean on the knowledge they’ve gained from previous meetings. They know tendencies of the teams and even individual players. So when they sit down to study film, they look for new wrinkles, but they have a pretty good working knowledge of what an opponent will do schematically.
For example, Seattle will probably play a lot of Cover 3 on defense and run a lot of outside zone rushing plays on offense. While that knowledge works both ways, it makes for less guesswork when it comes to preparation.
When a team like Cleveland comes to town, it can be easy to look at its 2-4 record and see a possible pushover, but the unknown aspect of what the Browns do means longer days in meeting rooms and watching film, especially for the coaching staff.
“It feels like there’s a lot that are 2-3, 3-2 right now and are still trying to find their identity and really just looking to stack games and get on a roll,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “You can either stack games and get on a roll or lose multiple games and start to sink. I really feel we are at a breaking point right now where we are at one of those moments — let’s go out there, get our stuff together, let’s play good, consistent football and see if we can stack a couple together. It starts week by week. I’m sure Cleveland is saying the exact same thing. That’s the reality of the state of both teams and it’s going to be a good matchup on Sunday.”
As the Rams prepare for Cleveland on Sunday, they at least have a few things working in their favor, things that mean there is no excuse for not being prepared to play the Browns.
First, the Rams are coming off their bye week, which means they had an extra week to pore over the tape and put together a solid game plan.
“What was unique for what we were doing is that our new schedule kind of fits very well with the bye-week schedule,” Fisher said. “We’re just doing the same things. Now coaches have had a lot of extra time, a lot more time from a game planning standpoint. But no, we’re not changing anything this week.”
The Rams also will be seeing a base 3-4 defense for the fourth consecutive game and while Cleveland runs that defense a bit different from the game-heavy Packers, for example, it’s still beneficial for the offense.
“It helps with different protections you’ve seen we’ve run,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “Just calls up front. Recognizing what they’re doing with their ‘backers and everything. Just going against that, we have some reps against it, so that will help us. At the same time, every week a team is going to show you something different that they haven’t shown before, so we’ve just got to be prepared for that.”
So far this season the Rams are 2-0 against NFC West foes and 0-3 in games against opponents from the AFC North, NFC East and NFC North. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but considering that an NFL schedule is comprised of 10 games against non-division opponents, it’s a coincidence that must come to an end if the Rams are going to make a push in 2015.
“I don’t think there’s anything there,” Foles said. “We just didn’t execute well in those games. Defense gave us opportunities to win the games we lost. We’ve just got to put more points on the board and stop hurting ourselves, really.”
znModeratorRobert Quinn, Tavon Austin probable for Sunday against Browns
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams have had some big names on their injury report all week but the news isn’t all bad as they head toward Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
Defensive end Robert Quinn (knee), receiver Tavon Austin (hamstring) and tight end Lance Kendricks (finger) all returned to practice in some capacity Friday and it looks like at least Quinn and Austin will be ready to go on Sunday.
Quinn and Austin are listed as probable on Friday’s injury report while Kendricks is considered questionable. Cornerback Janoris Jenkins cleared the concussion protocol and is also probable.
Here’s the full rundown of Friday’s injury report:
Out: DE Chris Long (knee), LB Alec Ogletree (ankle)
Questionable: TE Lance Kendricks (finger), RB Tre Mason (ankle)
Probable: DE Robert Quinn (knee), WR Tavon Austin (hamstring), CB Janoris Jenkins (concussion)
znModeratorRAMS DEFENSE, WEEK 7 BEFORE THE BROWNS GAME
Rankings relying on avgs. and percentages because teams haven’t played the same number of games so you can’t compare them straight up. Especially bad ones in red, especially good ones in blue.
AVG YARDS PER GAME: 10TH
AVG. YARDS PER PLAY: 7TH
3RD DOWN CONVERSION PERCENTAGE: 26TH
RUSHING YARDS PER GAME: 21ST
YARDS PER RUSH ATTEMPT: 20TH
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE: 31ST
PASSING YARDS PER GAME: 10th
YARDS PER PASS ATTEMPT: 11TH
AVG. OPPONENT PASSER RATING: 18TH
SACK PERCENTAGE: 3RD
INTERCEPTIONS PER GAME: 13TH
FUMBLE RECOVERIES PER GAME: 10TH
TAKEAWAYS PER GAME: 8TH
POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME: 13TH
POINTS PER GAME BY OPPOSING OFFENSE ONLY: 9TH
REDZONE SCORING PERCENTAGE (TDS ONLY): 2ND
==========
AVG YARDS PER GAME: 10TH
POINTS PER GAME BY OPPOSING OFFENSE ONLY: 9TH
REDZONE SCORING PERCENTAGE (TDS ONLY): 2ND
Note: this is after facing 3 of the top 13 offenses in terms of yards per game (Arizona 5th, Green Bay 11th, Seattle 13th).
And also facing 3 of the top 10 offense in terms of points per game (Arizona 2nd, Green Bay 5th, Pittsburgh 8th)
October 23, 2015 at 2:10 am in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32766znModeratorMcCown’s in his 13th season?
I get all these guys confused: McCown, McCoy, Macduff, Macbeth. I thought they all came in the league around three years ago.
Macbeth was beheaded, though. So he really didn’t last that long.
October 23, 2015 at 1:40 am in reply to: A closer look at what could be next for Rams and Saffold #32764znModeratorRams update: 5-month recovery for Saffold after surgery
Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot…cle_c6d9d69e-ffec-5557-ad82-e076c7ecf201.html
Rams offensive lineman Rodger Saffold underwent surgery Wednesday in New York City to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
“Everything went well,” said Saffold’s agent, Alan Herman. “He feels fine. Unfortunately, he misses the season.”
Dr. Frank Cordasco of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York performed the surgery. Cordasco also performed surgery on Saffold’s left shoulder on Jan. 7.
Herman said the tear in Saffold’s right shoulder was more significant than the previous tear in his left shoulder, which is why both Rams doctors and Cordasco recommended surgery as a soon as possible for this latest injury.
Saffold played through the entire 2014 season with the injury to his left shoulder, wearing a harness. But the tear was such to the right shoulder that doctors felt Saffold couldn’t play with a harness this year, according to Herman, or at least play effectively.
Saffold should be healthy from this latest surgery in five months — or by mid March. He suffered the right shoulder injury blocking early in the team’s Oct. 11 game at Green Bay. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by Garrett Reynolds.
October 23, 2015 at 1:30 am in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32763znModeratorRams, Browns QB McCown are familiar foes
Joe Lyons
For the third time in as many seasons — and with a third different team — Josh McCown will start against the Rams on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns visit the Edward Jones Dome for a noon kickoff.
In his 13th NFL season, the 36-year-old McCown completed 76.6 percent of his passes and threw for 352 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the visiting Chicago Bears in a 42-21 win for the fast-starting Rams in November of 2013. Last year, in a 19-17 Week 2 win for the Rams at Tampa Bay, he completed 76.2 passes for 179 yards with an interception.
“There’s a familiarity, obviously,” he said during a teleconference call with St. Louis media this week. “But every team is different from year to year. … What hasn’t changed is (Rams defensive end) Robert Quinn’s still there and he’s still very good. It’s just a very good defense, but it starts with him and his ability to be disruptive. Then (defensive tackle) Aaron Donald is just a really special player. (And) the linebackers and guys on the back end are good players as well.
“This is a very good defense, but we’re putting a plan together to go out and do the best we can and execute against them.”
McCown and the Browns are 2-4 coming off a frustrating 26-23 overtime loss at home to the 6-0 Denver Broncos. Following up on three of the best games of his career, McCown struggled at key times against the top-ranked Denver defense, completing 20 of 39 passes for 213 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. He also lost a fumble on a sack that led to a Broncos field goal.
“The main thing is you have to put that one behind you, as much as it hurts and it’s disappointing,” he said. “You have to because if you don’t, one loss can become more than just that one loss.”
After losing 31-10 on the road to the New York Jets and beating Tennessee 28-14 at home, the Browns have come up short in three of four recent tight games, losing 27-20 to Oakland and 30-27 at San Diego before winning 33-30 in overtime at Baltimore the week before the OT loss to Denver.
In the three games leading up to the Denver contest, McCown was as hot as any quarterback in the league, completing 96 of his 141 passes (68.1 percent) for 1,154 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for a score in the OT win over Baltimore, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors while becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 450 yards with two touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown and no interceptions.
His 457 passing yards against the Ravens set a Browns franchise record.
“Your arm gets a little tired,” McCown kidded when asked how it feels to throw for 457 yards. “It was a fun day and you don’t ever plan on things going that way. … It was a fun day because we got the win, first and foremost, and doing it through the air from a quarterback’s perspective makes it even sweeter.”
Drafted out of Sam Houston State by Arizona in the third round of the 2002 draft, McCown played for the Cardinals, Lions, Raiders, Panthers, Bears and Buccaneers before signing a three-year deal with Cleveland in March.
“Guys I know who’ve coached Josh rave about him,” Browns head coach Mike Pettine said. “Raved about him as a person, about him as a player, his professionalism. That this is a guy that, even though he’s so many years in the league, that he’s not a lot of years as “The Guy,” the starter. … I made the joke that he was like a car that’s been kept in the garage by a little old lady who just drove it to church on Sundays.
“Just not a lot of game reps, but when he’s been given the opportunity and the supporting cast and the scheme was right around him that he could be a good NFL quarterback. And he’s proven that. When we’ve played well around him, he’s shown he can move the football and score points.”
McCown, who was released by Tampa Bay in February, said Cleveland has been a good fit.
“I think what (Pettine) and (offensive coordinator) John DeFilippo, what they wanted to do offensively … matched my skillset,” the 6-foot-4, 218-pound McCown said. “‘Flip’ and I had worked together in Oakland, so I thought the familiarity was big. Then, obviously, the offensive line was a big draw for me.”
Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis feels getting to McCown early could be a key to Sunday’s game.
“If he gets hot early and feels comfortable, you know, he’ll put 400 on you. That’s what happened in the Ravens’ game,” the Rams’ career tackles leader said. “He’s a savvy vet (and) I think they’ve got a solid O-line. … You know what (McCown) is about. He’s athletic, you see on tape that he can make guys miss, that he’ll float around the pocket and he can pick up first downs with his legs. When he’s on, when he’s feeling it, when he’s in the rhythm, he’s got a very good arm.
“It’s all about how we start this game. Are we going to let him feel comfortable and safe in the pocket or are we going to try to disrupt him, get him to throw and make bad decisions? And that’s what we’ve been trying to focus on. The way you do that is you try to shut down the run game and put them in passing situations and really attack him there.”
znModerator2016 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD
http://www.si.com/nfl/2015/09/03/nfl-draft-2016-big-board-joey-bosa-jalen-ramsey
1
JOEY BOSA, DE
Junior, Ohio State
Probably wise to tone down any J.J. Watt comparisons, even if Bosa heads into the 2015 as a near-unanimous choice to be the 2016 draft’s top prospect. Watt’s name gets mentioned in Bosa discussions because the Buckeyes junior can win with both raw strength and outstanding athleticism, a combo coveted but not always possessed by edge-rushing prospects. His one-week suspension should not hurt him, provided he stays on course once he returns.2
JALEN RAMSEY, CB/S
Junior, Florida State
The Seminoles’ head coach, Jimbo Fisher, told ESPN’s Joe Schad in July that Ramsey “can play safety but is an NFL cornerback.” Don’t be surprised if NFL scouts view Ramsey the other way around, as a safety first. He has star potential either way, featuring footwork to win outside and enough physical edge to drive down vs. the run.3
LAREMY TUNSIL, OT
Junior, Ole Miss
A tumultuous few months for Tunsil, who fractured his leg in Ole Miss’s bowl game and then was arrested over a domestic violence incident with his stepfather. Both situations are in the past, so assuming Tunsil is back to 100%, there might be nothing between him and a top-10 selection. The 6’5″ tackle moves well in all directions, especially when asked to drop as a pass blocker.4
DEFOREST BUCKNER, DE
Senior, Oregon
Won’t keep harping on it, but Buckner was more NFL-ready after the 2014 season than his former teammate and current 49ers rookie Arik Armstead. The 6’7″, 290-pounder would be a dream for an NFL defensive coordinator wanting to beef up a hybrid front.5
EZEKIEL ELLIOT, RB
Junior, Ohio State
This may be as high as a running back climbs all year (and, again, a reminder that the Big Boards are talent rankings). Elliott is the best of the potential 2016 class at that position by a substantial margin. There is not a back in college football more adept at setting up his blockers and finding a crease.6
RONNIE STANLEY, OT
Senior, Notre Dame
Obviously, things can change over the course of a season, but Stanley has the refined look of a tackle who can start Day One. An interesting twist for him this year: Because Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire is a lefty, Stanley will not be on his blind side despite playing left tackle.7
MYLES JACK, LB
Junior, UCLA
Jack’s size (6’1″, 225 pounds) and cameos at running back will remind some folks of 2015 first-rounder Shaq Thompson (6’0″, 228). Jack has better instincts compared to where Thompson was at this time a year ago. He’s a 100-tackle NFL linebacker waiting to happen.8
SHAWN OAKMAN, DE
Senior, Baylor
Can Oakman elevate himself from a physically imposing player who flashes greatness to a consistently dominant prospect? His ranking here hints that I’d argue he can. Not everyone is so convinced.9
LAQUON TREADWELL, WR
Junior, Ole Miss
A brilliant talent with an NFL frame (6’2″, 229 pounds), Treadwell’s biggest challenge right now is proving he is all the way back from the gruesome leg injury he suffered last season. If he is, Treadwell could be a dark horse Heisman candidate.10
VERNON HARGREAVES III, CB
Junior, Florida
Slightly smaller than the 6’1″ Ramsey, Hargreaves (5’11”) also is more locked in as a cornerback. And that’s fine, because he is arguably college football’s top lock-down cover CB. Hargreaves is quick, sure, but it’s his ability to read plays where he really excels.11
JAYLON SMITH, LB
Junior, Notre Dame
His hype has been just a step shy of the Bosa bandwagon this off-season. There’s good reason for it: Smith notched 112 tackles last season. He covers a ton of ground and aggressively takes on blockers, using his hands to fight free. Smith must improve at reading plays, which is a scary thought given how impressive he has been anyway.12
ROBERT NKEMDICHE, DT
Junior, Ole Miss
Nkemdiche slides from DT to DE for the Rebels. Inside is where he will continue to be most noticeable for scouts. The 6’4″, 297-pound junior requires multiple blockers or he will manhandle opposing linemen.13
KENDALL FULLER, CB
Junior, Virginia Tech
Fuller absolutely has a chance to rise up and become the first cornerback off the board next April if he turns pro. He broke up 15 passes last season despite playing with a fractured wrist.14
TYLER BOYD, WR
Junior, Pittsburgh
A one-game suspension resulting from a DUI will delay Boyd’s 2015 debut … and cause teams to do a little more digging whenever he enters the draft. The junior has the talent to bolt after this season. While he can make big plays downfield, the real draw is in Boyd’s all-around game.15
SU’A CRAVENS, S
Junior, USC
The Trojans line up Cravens at a hybrid linebacker/safety spot, so the NFL will have ample tape to watch when figuring out his best fit. Odds are his NFL position will fall awfully close to his current role. Cravens (6’1″, 225 pounds) is a physical defender who makes a marked impact in the box.16
ANTHONY ZETTEL, DT
Senior, Penn State
Now headed into his second season playing DT for the Nittany Lions after opening his career at end, Zettel is only scratching the surface. The glimpses thus far have been impressive. Zettel still maintains the athleticism that had him outside in the first place, plus he’s backed with remarkable strength at 280 pounds.17
CONNOR COOK, QB
Senior, Michigan State
The first QB on the list, but the position appears very fluid heading into the season. Aside from Cook’s arm and size (6’4″), the real reason he is in this spot is that he has become deadly creating on the run and fitting passes into tight windows.18
A’SHAWN ROBINSON, DT
Junior, Alabama
Simply occupying a ton of space is not enough for a DT to warrant a high pick. A big-bodied player who can stand his ground or shoot through a gap, though, creates some buzz (see: Danny Shelton). Robinson (6’4″, 315 pounds) stands about 25 pounds lighter than Shelton. He might be just as good at disrupting offenses up front.19
VADAL ALEXANDER, G/T
Senior, LSU
Alexander will bounce back to right tackle this season after two seasons at guard. The versatility will work in his favor, although it’s hard to imagine him being better on the edge than he was inside. The 6’6″, 340-pounder is a road-grader capable of powering his way to the second level.20
EMMANUEL OGBAH, DE
RS Junior, Oklahoma State
Tackles better not let Ogbah get the first step off the snap, because he’ll blow past them if he does. Ogbah (6’4″, 275 pounds) battles to hold the edge against the run, too.21
SCOOBY WRIGHT, LB
Junior, Arizona
As the old mantra goes, you can’t teach instincts, which puts Wright very much ahead of the game. There are questions about his size (6’1″, 246 pounds) and speed, yet Wright almost always finds his way to the ball. Last season alone, he had 163 tackles, including 29 for loss.22
GERMAIN IFEDI, OT
RS Junior, Texas A&M
The latest tackle to emerge from A&M’s pipeline, Ifedi received a second-round grade from the advisory board prior to the ’15 draft. Ifedi will move to left tackle this season after gaining experience at guard and right tackle. He figures to be a line bookend in the NFL, thanks to his size (6’5″, 320), long arms and improving footwork.23
LEONARD FLOYD, OLB
Junior, Georgia
The Bulldogs’ redshirt junior wreaks havoc coming downhill, flashing a nice array of moves when chasing the passer. It’s less certain if he can play in coverage at the next level, but would he need to do so? Georgia gave him reps during preseason practice at inside linebacker, on top of his edge-rushing duties.24
CARDALE JONES, QB
RS Junior, Ohio State
He just needs more reps, which could be a problem back at Columbus this season if J.T. Barrett takes control as the No. 1 QB. (Barrett could turn out to be a better pro prospect than Jones.) His size (6’5″, 250) is tight end-esque. Jones also showed off a huge arm and solid running ability during the Buckeyes’ title run. The potential here is enormous, but will Jones have to wait until he reaches the NFL to see increased playing time?25
JACK CONKLIN, OT
RS Junior, Michigan State
The scouting reports on Conklin might sound reminiscent of another prized Big Ten blocker: Brandon Scherff, taken No. 5 by Washington this year. Like Scherff, Conklin does his best work in the run game and could wind up as an NFL guard.26
TAYLOR DECKER, OT
Senior, Ohio State
Fits the mold of a long-term answer at left tackle (6’7″, 315 with long arms). He’s also proven more than athletic enough to excel in Urban Meyer’s scheme.27
KENNY CLARK, DE
Junior, UCLA
Clark and Robinson are close in these rankings and in terms of what they can do—namely, anchor or fire into the backfield from multiple spots on the line.28
JALEN MILLS, S/CB
Senior, LSU
Wide range of opinions on Mills, who shifted from CB to safety prior to the 2013 season, was arrested on a battery charge prior to the 2014 season and right now is rehabbing a fractured fibula. Mills was up and down as a safety (where he’ll play again this year), but he is the type of smooth-moving athlete that can thrive as an NFL cornerback.29
DARRON LEE, OLB
RS Sophomore, Ohio State
Lee is so efficient at tracking the football sideline to sideline that it’s easy to overlook his blitzing prowess (7.5 sacks a year ago). He is of the lighter, faster linebacker breed and might wind up a top-15 pick.30
SHILIQUE CALHOUN, DE
RS Senior, Michigan State
Think Owa Odighizuwa with less bulk and a more advanced pass-rushing game. Calhoun (6’4″, 250) gives up 15 pounds or so to the shredded Odighizuwa, but both thrive in walling the edge against the run. Calhoun also has 15.5 sacks combined the past two seasons. The issue in 2014 was that he didn’t really improve from 2013. Is he going to take the next step?31
RASHARD HIGGINS, WR
Junior, Colorado State
Love watching this guy play. Granted, that’s not enough reason to believe in Higgins’s NFL prospects, so fortunately he backs his entertainment value with tangible skills. The worry is that the 188-pound Higgins will be knocked around by physical, NFL cornerbacks. Those defenders better hit him when they can. Higgins catches and runs the way that college stars like Kevin White did, and he is nimble enough to shake defenders in the open field.32
TONY CONNER, S
Junior, Ole Miss
This the third safety in our top 40 and each has a unique style. Cravens is mostly an in-the-box playmaker, Mills’s future could be at cornerback due to his coverage skills and Conner falls somewhere in between. He can drop and play deep, but Mississippi’s 4-2-5 scheme also asks him to play in the slot and help vs. the run.33
JARED GOFF, QB
Junior, Cal
Cards on the table, it took me a while to warm up to Goff. The more I watched him, though, the more it became obvious that he had an outstanding feel for his position—the progressions, the pre-snap analysis, etc. Cal’s “Bear Raid” offense will make it tricky to evaluate Goff, much as Oregon’s scheme forced a little extra work on Marcus Mariota. But the 6’4″ Goff seems to be ahead of the curve.34
CAMERON SUTTON, CB
Junior, Tennessee
Sutton stands 6’1″ and uses his frame to get up in receivers’ faces. It’s rare that he is beaten cleanly on a pass—he closes gaps and plays the ball well. Pretty easy to see him starting for an NFL team in the near future.35
MIKE WILLIAMS, WR
Junior, Clemson
If QB Deshaun Watson is as good this season as most people believe he will be, you’ll see a ton of Williams highlights. The 6’5″ receiver is a reliable target at all levels, with the speed and size to take the top off a secondary.36
CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG, QB
Junior, Penn State
Of all the players on this list, Hackenberg could have the most realistic shot of skyrocketing into the top five. He was far from the only one to blame for his disappointing 2014 season, but those struggles did expose some concerns, specifically with his accuracy (or lack thereof). The so-called “tools” are all there: 6’4″, big arm, experience in a pro-style system, intelligence. Hackenberg probably winds up going in Round 1 somewhere. How high can he climb?37
CODY WHITEHAIR, G/T
RS Senior, Kansas State
Soon to be a four-year starter for Kansas State, Whitehair is heading into his second season starting at left tackle. The NFL could move the 6’3″, 310-pounder back to his previous position, guard. At both spots, he has displayed NFL-caliber technique and paired it with obvious tenacity.
38VONN BELL, S
Junior, Ohio State
Bosa steals the headlines on Ohio State’s defense, but Bell is not far behind in terms of importance. Another safety comfortable covering the slot or stepping up against the run—right now, he’s probably better at both of those elements that playing straight coverage deep. Bell is noticeable whenever the Buckeyes’ defense is on the field.39
JAMES CONNER, RB
Junior, Pittsburgh
Conner rushed 298 times last season and is en route to 700 attempts for his career, so the NFL will approach with some caution considering how short running backs’ shelf lives tend to be. At 250 pounds Conner is built to withstand extra punishment. He dishes it out, too, running downhill with power. New Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi has talked about getting Conner more third-down work (he has just eight career catches). Should he add that to his repertoire, a team might pounce in round 1.
40D’HAQUILLE WILLIAMS WR
Senior, Auburn
The talented Tigers receiver must use this season to rehab his image. Williams was suspended for Auburn’s bowl game at the end of last year, then benched during August practice for “a discipline issue.” There’s so much pure talent here that it would be a shame if he cannot stay focused. Williams (6’2″, 224) has reliable hands and a know-how for using his body to get open—think Anquan Boldin.znModeratorWith Rodger Saffold out, Rams reshuffle offensive line … again
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — When St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher announced last week that right guard Rodger Saffold would miss the rest of the season because of a pending shoulder surgery, it was clear the offensive line would have to make a change.
And there was no doubt that veteran Garrett Reynolds would step into a spot on the line, it was just a matter of where. Apparently, the answer to that question is left guard, not the right side spot vacated by Saffold. That means a likely shift back to the right side for rookie Jamon Brown.
Brown, a third-round pick out of Louisville, is no stranger to either spot after spending the offseason and most of the preseason at right guard before flipping to the left side for the first five games of the season.
“It’s not too bad,” Brown said. “I take it all the way back to college. I’ve been playing both sides of the line, left tackle and right tackle. So it’s pretty much the same. Now it’s just all about mastering the technique at the right side.”
That would mean Reynolds would head back over to the left side, the position he manned while Saffold recovered from the offseason shoulder surgery he had in January.
Brown said making the change now after five games on the left side would come with some challenges though it’s nothing he’s not prepared to handle.
“It can kind of play with your head,” Brown said. “On the left side you’re used to certain plays and being the front side of the play now you’re on the right side and those plays you were the front side, now you’re the backside so it can get confusing at times. I think I do a pretty good job with it.”
After a preseason in which the Rams had next to no stability on the offensive line, an upheaval of any sort now is far from ideal, especially considering that unit’s struggles in the first five weeks. Of course, Saffold’s injury left no choice in the matter, but the Rams are still seeking consistency from a group that entered the season as the team’s biggest question mark.
At least in this move, Brown is going back to a spot in which he’s familiar and puts him back next to right tackle Rob Havenstein.
“I’m very confident,” Brown said. “It doesn’t skip a beat. I’ve worked with everybody in our room. It doesn’t really matter who I’ll be working with. I’ll do my part and I’m sure everybody else will do theirs.”
October 22, 2015 at 11:34 pm in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32756znModeratorGurley not taking favorable matchup for granted
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Despite what the numbers say about the Cleveland Browns’ inability to stop the run so far this season, the St. Louis Rams and dynamic rookie running back Todd Gurley are taking nothing for granted as they head toward Sunday’s matchup.
“Yeah, those things sound good but the end of the day when Sunday hits and we get on the field, it’s all about executing and not letting that man across from you beat you,” Gurley said. “Those guys could come Sunday and play like the No. 1 defense. I never really look at the rankings.”
That’s probably a good thing, because if Gurley did pore over this week’s stats, he might find himself salivating over the opportunity ahead.
On paper, there’s no denying that Gurley appears headed for a big game, bigger even than his past two outings in which he’s rushed for an average of 152.5 yards. Cleveland’s defense enters the game allowing 149.8 yards per game on the ground, last in the NFL. It’s a group that’s also yielding 5 yards per carry, which ranks 31st in the league.
So the easy conclusion to draw would be that Gurley should be able to shred Cleveland’s defense and pile up big numbers, right? Well, according to Rams coach Jeff Fisher, the film doesn’t show a run defense that’s consistently giving up chunks of yards so much as one that will play the run well for long periods of time before getting burned by a longer run.
“They’ll be good 19 times out of 20,” Fisher said. “Then, the last, the twentieth attempt will go for 40 (yards). So, that’s how it’s gone against them. So, I mean, I think that’s deceiving.”
The statistics show there is something to what Fisher is saying. In six games, the Browns have allowed a whopping 23 runs of 10 yards or more (tied for second most in the NFL) and eight carries of 20 or more yards (also tied for second most in the league) for an average of 31.75 yards per carry. All of that for a team that has been run on a league-high 181 times.
In other words, the Browns give up a carry of 20 or more yards roughly once every 22 attempts and a rush for 10 or more yards once every eight tries. Take away the 20-plus yard carries and Cleveland is giving up 3.7 yards per attempt on the ground.
“They’re a talented defense,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “It’s a ranking. Any given Sunday you never know what you’re going to get. Those guys fly around and they do a really good job. We know that they’re going to come in here ready to go. They had a tough loss against Denver last week, so I know they feel good about the team they have and that they’ve had a couple close losses. That’s a ranking to me. They’re going to be ready to go.”
Though it is just a ranking, Gurley’s early tendency has been to earn a big chunk of his rushing yards on exactly the types of big runs that Cleveland has been prone to allow. He has five runs of 20 or more yards so far this season, which ties him for second-most in the NFL. Those have gone for a total of 180 yards, the highest total in the league on such runs.
From the Rams’ perspective, though they would love to see those explosive runs continue, they would also like to find traction on the ground earlier in games. In his three outings, Gurley is averaging 2.2 yards per carry in the first quarter and 3.3 in the second before having a big second half. Cleveland has actually been at its best stopping the run in the first quarter and struggled the most in the second and third.
“Well, you’d like to think as you game-plan, there are things that could give you an advantage,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. “But, once again, this is the National Football League. Every Sunday is a challenge. They’re an excellent defense. We’re going to prepare. We’re going to come out here and have great practices, give ourselves a chance to be successful.”
Another thing working to the Rams’ advantage is Cleveland’s base 3-4 defense. St. Louis has seen a steady diet of odd-man fronts in Pittsburgh, Arizona and Green Bay over its past three games. In those games, Gurley didn’t see a lot of eight-man boxes designed to stop the run, but now that he’s had some success he should expect to see more of it moving forward, especially until the passing game proves it can take advantage.
Which is why it might also be worth keeping an eye on Gurley in the passing game this week. Gurley is a regular on the JUGS machine, and though his matchup on the ground looks favorable, the numbers quietly favor him through the air as well.
Cleveland is allowing 11.23 yards per catch to running backs, which ranks second-to-last in the NFL. Gurley hasn’t yet had much of a chance to show off his receiving skills (three catches for 20 yards) but this game could offer a first real look at his versatility.
“That’s why I’m out there every day (catching passes after practice),” Gurley said. “When the time comes, the time comes.”
The time could be Sunday.
znModeratorThis is what my sherry, tweed, and a nice pipe with good tobacco friends like to call “a serious-ass meltdown.”
znModeratorBut now Robinson has to play with someone else after getting used to Brown. No stability.
Except it’s Reynolds, who is a vet. My guess is they did this because, among other reasons, Reynolds is better on the left side.
…
znModeratorAfter this game, either the hated 49ers or Seahawks will be 2-5, effectively ending their season.
The better thing is, both teams win.
That way there’s no future trap game.
October 22, 2015 at 9:10 am in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32729znModeratorDon’t look now, but Rams have chance to contend
Joe Strauss
Warning: Your trusted correspondent may be reporting today from the intersection of Pollyanna & Naivete, located within an easy walk of The Yellow Brick Road.
Whenever conversation turns to the Rams and relevance within the NFC West, consumers reflexively check their wallets, their sanity or the ties between the club and media outlet offering such propaganda. This is, after all, one of only two NFL franchises seeking its first winning season since 2003 and the only member of its division not to see the playoffs within the last three years.
But still …
The Rams exit a bye week staring Opportunity in the face.
Yes, they are a pedestrian 2-3 in possession of the league’s lowest-ranked offense.
Yes, at last glance quarterback Nick Foles was throwing four interceptions behind a porous line in a surprisingly winnable game at Green Bay.
Yet this season’s NFC West offers a different dynamic: a 2-4 defending conference champion in Seattle embarrassingly unable to hold a fourth-quarter lead, a vulnerable rebuilding team in San Francisco suddenly skeptical of its franchise quarterback, and a division leader the Rams defeated in the Arizona desert two-plus weeks ago. The NFC West carries an abysmal 3-9 road record, with the Seahawks responsible for three losses.
Whether the Rams are making progress will be determined in their next five games against an ordinary grouping consisting of Cleveland, San Francisco, Minnesota, Chicago and Baltimore. The fivesome enters the weekend 10-19, a significant comedown from the 18-12 bunch the locals already have faced.
“It’s an opportunity. But every week in this league represents an opportunity,” said linebacker James Laurinaitis following Tuesday’s practice at Earth City. “You really can’t afford to look at games as a group. Each week is its own challenge.”
Laurinaitis has been on campus since 2009. The leading tackler in franchise history has never experienced anything better than a 7-8-1 season here. He’s been around long enough to hear the preseason happy talk followed by fits of inconsistency. He’s enjoyed three home wins the last four seasons against the Seahawks and a 4-1-1 division record in 2012 but stewed over lapses in seemingly more favorable match-ups.
“We’re hardly in a position where we can assume a win over anybody,” he said. “There are probably teams that still view us that way.”
The Rams possess a top 10 defense. They rank as the league’s best first-down offense; however, they’re confounding on third down, the opposite of a Browns team that labors early in possessions but is among the league’s most prolific on third down. Asked about the road ahead, coach Jeff Fisher moves away from the long view. His team hasn’t won three straight since 2012. It followed up a season-opening home overtime win over Seattle with a jarring loss at Washington, where the Rams were favored.
Fisher likes Foles, imported from Philadelphia for his efficiency but coming off the worst single-game passer rating (23.8) of a four-year career.
He likes the impact wrought by rookie rusher Todd Gurley, who ranks eighth among NFL rushers despite starting only twice. Gurley is the only NFC back who has twice rushed for more than 145 yards. Fisher would like it a bit more, however, if a young offensive line more quickly congealed. No Rams receiver has amassed more than 169 yards. The league counts 43 receivers with at least 300 yards, including five who have at least matched tight end Jared Cook’s team-high yardage total with a single game.
Fisher’s first Rams team found itself 6-6 after 12 games and entered that season’s last game with a mathematical chance at making the playoffs. A winning record the next five weeks could re-energize a fan base tired of the tease.
Consider: Through five games the Rams have encountered three of the NFC’s top five defenses and the AFC’s second-best pass defense (Pittsburgh). Of the next five opponents, only the Chicago Bears’ defense ranks among its conference’s top half. The 49ers statistically rank as the league’s second-worst pass deterrent; the Browns enter the Edward Jones Dome Sunday as the NFL’s worst rush defense.
The Rams have been outscored 37-7 in the first quarter, hardly a recipe for success. If the trend continues this weekend at home, concerns should mount. But one would think a team with fresh running legs and a dangerous pass rush should expose a pass-happy team that has surrendered 22 sacks. Their next five opponents sport a minus-142 point differential compared to the previous five’s plus-176.
But Fisher has seen all this before. His team has ambushed Indianapolis, New Orleans and Denver when those teams were dominant and folded at Washington, Miami and New York when those clubs were anything but.
“You have to go week to week in this league. You have to,” said Fisher, citing the heavy percentage of games decided every Sunday by a single possession. For example, only 16 points total separate the Browns from its last four opponents. “It’s just the way the league is. The differences week to week are often so small that every team represents its own challenge.”
If not for a double-digit fourth-quarter rally against Seattle, the Rams might be 1-4.
If not for their inability to score a touchdown in a 12-6 loss to Pittsburgh, they might be 3-2.
These Rams remain young but may not be classified as inexperienced, especially on defense. First-year offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti has better incorporated former first-round pick Tavon Austin into the scheme. The next several weeks will show whether the season-ending loss of veteran right guard Rodger Saffold (shoulder) is crippling or an inconvenience.
Success comes with a cost in the NFL. Salary cap constraints eventually invade every successful locker room. Intrigue may be part of the price the Seahawks are paying for their epic Super Bowl fail against New England. The 4-2 Cardinals still carry a burden of proof as they’ve so far enjoyed a soft-serve schedule.
The NFC West has become a softer, more vulnerable neighborhood. The Rams, still as capable of frustrating as they are of shocking, now resemble a team that could go either direction, a decided upgrade over those days when they lived on a one-way, gravel road pointed toward a December cul-de-sac
znModeratorThe 16th CB gets ~8 million per year, according to “Over the Cap”.
Well if he keeps playing this way, he’ll
be a top-ten CB by the end of the year.The average if the top 5 CBs in terms of amount per year is about 13.2 M. The top 4 all get about 14 M a year. I doubt he would accept anything less than that.
October 22, 2015 at 12:14 am in reply to: Justice Cunningham hopes to offer help for Rams at tight end #32715znModeratorGood video. Cunningham is a much better fit for this team than Cook. imo
My sense is that at this point, even if Cook recovers and plays well down the stretch, Rams fans in general are fed up with him.
Some believe he pulled up short against GB on that one INT. I don’t. I accept the explanation that he was sitting in a spot in the zone, and that Foles just threw a pressure-driven pass to the wrong place. His thing about Ferguson and the hands up gesture also plays into this for some, IMO.
But either way, as we know it’s not just that bad play, or that one action (which I defend btw…ie the action). He just doesn’t play well enough in general for anyone to stand by him.
,
October 21, 2015 at 10:36 pm in reply to: Justice Cunningham hopes to offer help for Rams at tight end #32713znModeratorJustice Cunningham vs Tennessee (2012)
October 21, 2015 at 9:35 pm in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32710znModeratorPractice Report 10/21: Gurley’s Prep for Cleveland
Myles Simmons
The Rams have started to establish their identity on offense, and it’s one that clearly starts with the run game.
With running back Todd Gurley rushing for 305 yards over his last two games — 146 against Arizona and 159 against Green Bay — the offense has certainly done well to open up holes for him. The running back, however, did admit Wednesday he didn’t necessarily realize he’d taken so many carries up at Lambeau Field. That is, until he did.
“I looked up at the scoreboard midway through the fourth quarter and I was at 25 and was like, ‘dang, it didn’t really feel like it.’ Then once I said that, I started to get a little tired,” Gurley said with a laugh. “I’ll try not to jinx myself next time.”
After that game, Gurley said he was able to utilize the bye week well in order to get fresh for Cleveland.
“Came back and felt good,” Gurley said. “Had a good practice yesterday and today. Definitely a good couple days off.”
The rookie went back to Georgia to watch the Bulldogs beat Mizzou and enjoyed his time at the old stomping grounds. In a way, going back and watching the game accentuates the differences between the college game and the pros.
“[Players are] bigger, stronger,” Gurley said, adding that there’s a level playing field. “Everybody is the same speed or even faster. Guys react a lot faster — they know their stuff.”
And that’s the case with this week’s opponent, Cleveland. Though the Browns rank No. 30 in overall defense and No. 32 against the run, players and coaches alike quelled the notion Cleveland is a pushover.
“They’ve got a good combination of experience on the defense and some youth on the defense,” head coach Jeff Fisher said. “They drafted well. Big man from Washington [DT Danny Shelton] is a load. Inside, he’s a penetrator. He’s going to be a tough match-up for our interior three.”
“They’re very well coached, excellent players,” offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. “You look at them on the back end, they have proven players — three ex pro bowlers. Excellent front seven, athletic, can run, play hard, well-coached.”
Gurley himself said Cleveland’s defense has played better than its ranking.
“Those things sound good, but at the end of the day, when Sunday hits and you get on the field it’s all about executing and not letting that man across from you beat you,” Gurley said. “Those guys can come Sunday and play like the No. 1 defense. Those guys had a great game against the Broncos, so I never look at the ranks.”
Still, as Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine said on Wednesday, Sunday’s matchup will pit one team’s weakness against another team’s strength.
“What it comes down to is the fundamental stuff,” Pettine said of the Browns’ run defense. “It’s something we’re well aware of and we know that — by far — this is our biggest challenge of the year to stop the run.”
As the Rams continue to establish their strong ground attack, Gurley realizes the likely consequence is facing more defenses with a safety in the box. But that’s no matter to him.
“That just leaves room for the receivers,” Gurley said. “As long as we win, I’m not complaining.”
But Gurley’s two road performances provides a lift not only for the running back, but also the offensive linemen.
“When you run the ball how we’ve run the ball, you become confident in what you do,” offensive guard Jamon Brown said. “Obviously, there’s still things we can do better and constantly try to work on those things day in, day out. We are confident with the things we’ve done to this point.”
“I’m definitely confident in myself and know what I’m capable of,” Gurley said. “But those guys up front have done a great job putting in extra work every day at practice. So we know what we’re capable of.”
INJURY REPORT
The Rams had one of their longest injury reports of the season on Wednesday with a number of players sitting out.
Wide receiver Tavon Austin (knee), tight end Lance Kendricks (hand), defensive end Chris Long (knee), running back Tre Mason (ankle), and defensive end Robert Quinn (knee) all did not participate.
“Tre’s got a little ankle going. He didn’t practice today,” Fisher said. “Tavon did not practice with a little hamstring. Rob didn’t practice with the knee. We had a couple other guys that we rested.”
Cornerback Janoris Jenkins (concussion) participated on a limited basis.
Also, while he’s listed on the injury report because he remains on the active roster, linebacker Alec Ogletree (DNP, ankle) will be out this week.
CONSISTENCY OUTSIDE THE DIVISION
Though the Rams have played only five games, the club has played better inside the division than they have outside of it. Fisher has often said the team is built to compete and win within the NFC West. While there may not be a specific factor the team can put its finger on so far, St. Louis will need to to improve its consistency no matter the opponent in order to achieve its goal of playing football after Week 17.
“I don’t think there’s anything there,” quarterback Nick Foles said. “We just didn’t execute well in those games. Defense gave us opportunities to win the games we lost. We’ve just got to put more points on the board and stop hurting ourselves, really.”
And while the defense may have looked solid up at Lambeau Field on Oct. 11, linebacker James Laurinaitis viewed the game differently.
“Every Sunday, our goal is to be the best defense on the field. You look at last week and a lot of people, I feel, said, ‘Gosh the defense played good against Green Bay.’ I don’t see it that way,” Laurinaitis said. “They forced four takeaways, scored on one of them, we only had three and we didn’t score. That’s a big difference there.”
“If we get to work with six points, we hold them to three and we go on,” Laurinaitis continued. “If we can have that mindset — because we have that talent — then we’ll start to elevate our game.”
October 21, 2015 at 11:04 am in reply to: Six Weeks In, Neither Side is Winning Foles for Bradford Trade #32696znModeratorNeither Side is Winning Foles for Bradford Trade
Well…that seems fair.
.
znModeratorTight end Jared Cook, Rams shrug off trade rumors
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Without any football to discuss, the combination of a bye week and an approaching trade deadline stirred up the St. Louis Rams rumor mill over the weekend.
In this instance, Rams tight end Jared Cook was the perceived target as one report had the Rams shopping him and another had teams calling the Rams about him.
On Tuesday, Rams coach Jeff Fisher acknowledged that the Rams received calls about Cook but also insisted that Cook is not up for sale before the Nov. 3 trade deadline.
Jared Cook
Jared Cook has been the target of trade speculation over the past week.
“I have no interest in trading Jared,” Fisher said. “He’s a big part of our offense. I don’t know where that originated from or came from. I clearly wasn’t aware of it. Jared’s fine. He’s a big part of this. Those kind of things happen. People call. He’s not the only person that people called us about last week. There’s injuries. We’re not to the trading deadline. People have interest in players. This day and age they’ve got more information. If they sense that some players that you have may fit their system, they’re going to call. You either say, ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”Whether anything progressed far enough for the Rams to offer a yes or no answer is unclear but what is clear is that just because Fisher says a player isn’t available doesn’t mean that’s the case. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford should offer an easy reminder of that.
So while Fisher may publicly say that he doesn’t want to trade Cook, that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t happen if the right offer comes along. That’s actually the part that’s more difficult to discern. Cook has two more years on his contract with a base salary of $7 million in 2016 and $7.1 million in 2017. The Rams would have to take an accelerated cap hit of nearly $2.7 million if they dealt Cook this year to cover the remaining portion of his prorated signing bonus.
Any team that dealt for Cook would not owe any guaranteed money but it’s fair to assume they’d want to keep him longer than one season which would mean doing so at his current price tag or negotiating an extension. Complicating matters further from the Rams’ perspective is a lack of options at tight end with Lance Kendricks recovering from finger surgery.
But a Cook trade could make sense if the Rams get the right offer if only because it seems unlikely that they’ll retain both Cook on his current contract and re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Cory Harkey, who is a favorite of the coaching staff.
For his part, Cook said he didn’t bat an eyelash when he was informed of the trade rumors over the weekend, nor did he get a call from the Rams or his agent on the subject.
“If there was something I needed to know, they would have told me,” Cook said. “There’s a lot of people that put things out there that really isn’t credible a lot of the times, everywhere around the world. It’s your choice to pay attention to it, it’s your choice to take in what they are saying or it’s your choice to ignore it.”
Cook clearly took the latter option over the bye week with more important things to worry about. Since signing the lucrative five-year contract that brought him to St. Louis in 2013, the Rams offense and his role in it has changed dramatically. Originally signed to be essentially an oversized slot receiver in a wide-open passing attack, Cook has re-adjusted to a scheme that now asks him to attach to the line and run block on a more regular basis.
The blocking is still a work in progress for Cook but he’s quietly drawn plaudits from the coaching staff for his improvement in that area. His performance against Green Bay offered perhaps his best run blocking effort yet. For what it’s worth, he earned a +1.6 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus for his work against the Packers.
Despite the changing roles, Cook said he’s not upset about what the Rams are asking him to do.
“You’re not about to go to your job and tell your boss this is what you want to do, this is how you have to do it,” Cook said. “No, you are about to do what they ask you to do and what this team needs. I’m here for what this team needs. If they need me to run block right now, I’m happy to do that.”
The Rams could also use a more consistent pass-catcher in addition to the run blocking. Pro Football Focus credits Cook with four drops on the season and he’s also lost on some 50/50 balls that he could have hauled in. The drops have been more bothersome because of their timing, as most would have gone for a first down or a touchdown.
For the season, Cook has 15 catches for 169 yards, which ranks second on the team in both categories. Asked if he’d like to get the ball more or if getting him involved earlier would increase his production, Cook again made it clear he’s not fretting about his role.
“It’s making me become a tight end overall which is improving my game so I have nothing to complain about,” Cook said. “It’s different but that’s what my job entails. I’m not a very selfish person. I just come to work doing my job and doing what they ask me to. So if they ask me to block a little bit more, that’s what I’m here to do.”[
znModeratorPFF ranks the Rams defense 2nd overall.
1st in run defense.
5th in pass rush.
13th in pass coverage.
They rank the offense 27th.
22nd in passing.
16th in rushing.
znModeratorIsn’t CB supposed to be strong in this draft too? Didn’t I hear that somewhere?
znModeratorMore matchup stuff. Cleveland is a must pass offense, that ranks 25th in rushing yards…going up against the Rams defense.
The Browns defense is 30th overall and 32nd against the run.
Prediction:
Rams 456,000, Browns -7
Though it won’t be as close as the score makes it seem.
.
znModeratorPFF NFL POWER RANKINGS FOR WEEK 7
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/10/20/pff-nfl-power-rankings-for-week-7/
20. St. Louis Rams
In the fourth quarter, Todd Gurley has 179 yards on 16 carries. That is the second-highest yardage total in the fourth quarter in the league.znModeratorPFT’s Week Seven power rankings
Mike Florio
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/20/pfts-week-seven-power-rankings/
1. Patriots (5-0; last week No. 1): Revenge is a dish best served when the adversary runs one of the dumbest plays in the history of organized sports.
2. Bengals (6-0; No. 3): At some point, the Bengals will be on to New England. And that could be bad news for the Patriots.
3. Packers (6-0; No. 2): It’s hard to hold the No. 2 spot when giving up more than 500 yards passing.
4. Panthers (5-0; No. 7): Cam Newton is old enough to make a clutch throw in a hostile environment.
5. Broncos (6-0; No. 4): Even if they lose no games in the regular season, one and done is looming in January.
6. Jets (4-1; No. 8): When does the Jets coach start spouting off about how much he hates Bill Belichick and Tom Brady? Oh wait, that guy’s gone.
7. Steelers (4-2; No. 10): The Steelers haven’t won with this many quarterbacks since the days of Bradshaw, Gilliam, and Hanratty.
8. Falcons (5-1; No. 5): The only good news from Thursday night is there likely won’t be another Falcons punter immortalized by a statue outside the Superdome.
9. Cardinals (4-2; No. 6): Maybe the Cardinals really haven’t beaten anyone.
10. Vikings (3-2; No. 15): With Mike Wallace, Stefon Diggs, and Charles Johnson, the Vikings could have the best three wideouts in the NFL.
11. Rams (2-3; No. 12): The good news? The Rams finally have climbed past Seattle and San Francisco in the standings. The bad news? Both of those teams stink right now.
October 20, 2015 at 10:32 pm in reply to: Six Weeks In, Neither Side is Winning Foles for Bradford Trade #32673znModeratorNick Foles vs. Sam Bradford, Revisited
Bernie Miklasz
http://www.101sports.com/2015/10/20/nick-foles-vs-sam-bradford-revisited/
As for the big, compelling, headline-raising trade through which the Philadelphia Eagles and your St. Louis Rams swapped starting quarterbacks …
Do we have a winner?
Nope. It’s going to be a while to determine that. If, indeed, we can ever make a conclusive judgment.
If you watched the former battered Ram Sam Bradford pitch against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, you will know that he did not remind anyone of, say, Aaron Rodgers. Philadelphia rolled to a 27-7 win over NYG, but mostly because of the play of the Eagles defense. Among other security measures enacted during the game, the Eagles defense intercepted Giants QB Eli Manning twice (including one returned for a pick six) and cleaned up after Bradford’s three messy interceptions. The Philly offense turned the ball over four times in the game, but the Eagles defense wouldn’t allow the Giants to cash in the takeaways for points. That’s why Philadelphia won to even its record at 3-3.
The post-game reviews of Bradford’s play were unkind.
This take from CSNphilly.com pretty much summed up the tone of the Philadelphia-area media’s assessment of Bradford’s play: “As hard as he tried, Sam Bradford couldn’t give this divisional game away.
The Eagles dominated the Giants the lopsided score was not a result of strong quarterback play… really the Eagles won in spite of Bradford… all three of Bradford’s interceptions came on awful throws downfield. His final pick came in the end zone, Bradford’s fourth interception in the end zone already this season. That is a staggering number. No other NFL quarterback has more than one interception in the end zone in 2015.”
The media beatdowns continued for Bradford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft who was sent to Philadelphia for Foles after five hard and at times brutal seasons in St. Louis that included a lot of losing, a carousel of receivers and offensive linemen, multiple coaches, and two season-ending knee surgeries.
A couple of weeks ago, two retired Eagles made some disparaging comments concerning Bradford’s toughness and poise. The former running back Brian Westbrook called Bradford a “shaken” quarterback.
The former fullback Jon Ritchie, speaking on a Comcast SportsNet TV show, observed that Bradford “looks scared at times, which is about the worst thing you can say about an NFL quarterback.” Ritchie added: “Maybe I’m reading into this, but when he was in St. Louis, there was a knock on him that he just didn’t want to get hit. And now that he’s gone through the rehabilitation of two severe knee injuries two years in a row, I feel like that’s cropping up again. He does not want to be hit.”
Foles has had his own issues in St. Louis.
There was the mediocre game in Washington … a late, terrible interception that locked up a win for Pittsburgh … and the harried, four-interception breakdown at Green Bay that included two pickoffs after the Rams had advanced to inside the Packers’ 10-yard line.
Foles also delivered some strong — even sensational -play in a leading role in the wins over Seattle and Arizona.
In the Rams’ two wins, Foles has completed 67 percent of his passes, averaged 9.18 yards per attempt, thrown four TDs without an interception and posted a passer rating of 122.
In the Rams’ three defeats Foles completed only 52 percent with two TDs and five INTs. He averaged 5.42 yards per attempt and had an awful passer rating of 52.5
If you look at each quarterbacks’ season stats there isn’t much difference. The bottom line on the standard QB stats:
Bradford ranks 21st among regular NFL quarterbacks in completion percentage (63.2), yards per passing attempt (6.85), 28th in TD-INT ratio (1.0), and 28th in passer rating (80.0).
Foles ranks 29th in completion percentage (57.4), 27th in yards per attempt (6.78), 23rd in TD-INT ratio (1.20), and 29th in passer rating (77.6.)
Both have been dreadful (for the most part) in their third-down passing. Foles has a third-down passer rating of 60.8, and Bradford is wallowing at 48.5.
If you forced me to select the quarterback that’s played better so far, I’d go with Foles. My reasons are based on coaching and advanced statistics that include pass protection and performance under pressure. Essentially, I believe Foles gets the benefit of the doubt over Bradford because Foles is dealing with a more difficult set of circumstances.
Coaching? Chip Kelly or Jeff Fisher. One is considered an innovative, creative, and highly evolved designer of the passing game. The other prefers tackle football and a brawny rushing attack. (Do you really need me to match the coach with the description? I didn’t think so.)
Playing for Kelly in Philadelphia, Foles had a passer rating of 100.5 over 2013 and 2014. Granted, Foles’ 2013 season was vastly superior to his ’14 campaign — but the ’14 season wasn’t a disaster and Foles displayed a deft touch in running the Kelly offense. Bradford hasn’t. After spending his time in St. Louis playing for two defensive-minded head coaches in Steve Spagnuolo and Fisher you’d think Bradford would be thriving in a quarterback-enhancing offense, but that hasn’t happened. At least not in his first six games as Kelly’s personal-choice quarterback.
Foles also gets my vote because he’s endured substantially more pass-rush harassment than Bradford this season.
According to Pro Football Focus, Foles has faced pass-rush heat on 44.8 percent of his dropbacks — the second-highest rate among NFL starters. Bradord has received more reliable protection, having to deal with QB pressures on only 26.7% of his dropbacks. That’s one the lowest figures in the league. Sam has been kept safe by the Eagles’ body guards, but he continues to be jumpy in the pocket.
Given that Foles frequently has defenders buzzing at him and smacking him, he’s done rather well; his “under pressure” accuracy rating from Pro Football Focus is the fourth best among NFL quarterbacks. Bradford — despite having to cope with considerably fewer pocket invasions than Foles — ranks 16th in accuracy under pressure.
In terms of PFF’s adjusted accuracy (which dismisses dropped passes, intentional throwaways and balls swatted down at the line), Foles gets the edge over Bradford. Foles ranks 12th in adjusted accuracy (89.6) and Bradford is 24th at 81.1.
According to PFF, Foles has been superior to Bradford in deep passing (attempts of 20+ yards in the air) and in play-action passing.
I’m not saying that Foles is Kurt Warner circa 1999, or Marc Bulger circa 2006.
Or even Neil Lomax circa 1984.
But I see more things to like about Foles than Bradford.
At least for now. Because as Peter King of Sports Illustrated and “Monday Morning Quarterback” pointed out on our radio show on Tuesday, rust still could be a factor with Bradford. When Bradford started this season’s opener for the Eagles, it was his first regular-season action in 694 days.
The two knee injuries kept Bradford sidelined for one year, 10 months and 25 days. That’s a long layoff. I think Bradford will settle in and improve. But how long will it take? And how much will Bradford improve? I don’t know. And of course Bradford could stay at this level and be nothing more than an average quarterback.
As for Foles, he had such extreme performances in Philadelphia, it’s still difficult to decipher his true value. Or accurately gauge a reasonable level of expectations — specifically as the Rams’ QB. And playing quarterback for the Rams is radically different than running Kelly’s offense.
The Rams offense has struggled to score points for many seasons. You’d have to go back to 2006 to see the Rams ranked among the top 10 offenses in the NFL for points scored from scrimmage. The 2006 Rams were 10th in points from scrimmage that season. Pardon the brief trip down memory avenue, but looking back on it, that ’06 really had quite the collection of playmakers. Bulger passed for 4,301 yards, 24 touchdowns and had only eight interceptions. Steven Jackson rushed for 1,528 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught 90 passes for 806 yards. Wide receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce were aging but combined for 167 catches, 2,286 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. And remember the WR Kevin Curtis? He caught 40 passes that season, which was no big deal. But four of the 40 went for TDs, and he averaged 16 yards per reception (or more) in five games. Problem is, we were still spoiled by the “Greatest Show” Rams offense, so the ’06 version didn’t seem to be anything special. Yeah, right.
Little did we know. Beginning in 2007, here’s where the Rams have ranked (in sequence) annually among the 32 NFL teams in offensive points from scrimmage: 28th … 29th … 32nd … 23rd … 32nd … 28th … 22nd … 23rd.
So far this season the 2015 Rams are ranked in O-scrimmage points (77) last among the 10 NFL teams that have played five games so far.
Given the head coach’s extensive history of below-average scoring offenses, how many quarterbacks could significantly elevate the performance of the Fisher School of Offense? Foles can make a difference. But I wasn’t counting on miracles here. Perhaps rookie RB Todd Gurley can get this engine zooming and put Foles into position to make plays. Foles ranks fifth among NFL starters this season with a 111.3 passer rating on play-action throws. Gurley obviously has the impact talent that can set up run-obsessed defenses to get burned by Foles passing after he fakes the handoff to Gurley.
Earlier in this piece I noted Foles’ flaws and poor numbers in some categories. But Foles, unlike Bradford, doesn’t play in a quarterback-friendly offense. Foles doesn’t have a passing-game guru for a coach. And Foles has been under fire way more often than Bradford. With so much working against him, Foles is outperforming Bradford. Context is an important consideration here.
I don’t know if Foles can continue to hold up under such extreme duress; the Green Bay pass-rush assault made him antsy and prone to making panicky throws. That was a bad sign. But Bradford has been handed the keys to a luxury car, and he keeps crashing it. Foles has been handed the keys to a car that’s banged up, missing parts, and keeps getting vandalized due to a lack of protection. Bradford is behind the wheel of a Cadillac but is steering rather erratically. Foles isn’t winning any races while driving this hoopty, but he’s more effective at driving a hoopty than Bradford is at driving a Caddy.
znModeratorNick Foles looking to bounce back, offer more for Rams after bye
Nick Wagoner
EARTH CITY, Mo. — Five games into his fresh start with the St. Louis Rams, quarterback Nick Foles’ comfort level is a good barometer for the offense at large.
Which is to say that Foles’ development in the Rams’ scheme is much like the scheme itself: A work in progress.
“I felt like I progressed,” Foles said. “There definitely has been some growing pains and I’m learning. But, where I want to be right now, I want to keep improving every day. I am where I am right now, but I want to keep getting better. I want to keep building, keep improving. The big thing is just being consistent every week and putting us in a situation where we can win the game.”
Foles and the Rams have been in position to win four of their five games so far, coming away with victories against NFC West division foes Seattle and Arizona but falling short despite opportunities against Pittsburgh and Green Bay. While you’d be hard-pressed to find any player who will say the bye week comes at a bad time, Foles would probably be the first to say that the Rams’ bye last week came at an ideal time.
The Rams’ week 5 loss to the Packers was Foles’ worst NFL game, a combination of his own mistakes, receiver miscues and an offensive line that allowed the Packers to batter him to the tune of three sacks and 12 quarterback hits on 33 drop backs. Foles threw four interceptions, two more than he’d thrown in any of his previous 32 career games. Foles’ 1.5 QBR was also the worst of his career amongst games in which he’s thrown more than one pass.
Despite the many hits and the costly turnovers, Foles kept getting up and going back at it. If nothing else, he’s already proved to teammates that he’s not afraid to keep coming even when things aren’t going well.
“He’s tough, not just physically but mentally tough,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “He’s a guy that even when things aren’t going well you won’t see him on the sidelines pouting. He’s not going to get down because he threw a pick. He really just forgets about it and goes out there the next drive and just plays and knows the next drive is going to be successful. I think in the long run that’s going to help us. You have a QB who is even keel like that, it allows the guys around them to have more confidence. He’s not going to shy away from his mistakes. When you have a guy who is not too high or too low like that, a lot of times it bodes well in the long run.”
But the Rams will need more than intangibles from Foles in the long run. While Foles already has a good grasp on the offense, he hasn’t yet reached the point where he’s completely comfortable. That’s a process that takes more than one offseason and six NFL weeks to reach.
Along with that, Foles also doesn’t have an extensive amount of freedom to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage. He says he has some leeway depending on the play call but also acknowledged that as he gets more experience in the system, he’ll get more chances to identify things and make adjustments at the line.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Foles said. “I have a long ways to go. I have a long ways to go. I have a lot of work to improve. That will be the case for as long as I play the game. I’ll always have a lot of room to improve on. That’s why we go out there each and every day and try to get a little better.”
Foles also made it clear that some of the early part of this season has been spent shaking off the rust after missing the last half of the 2014 season because of injury. He doesn’t use that as an excuse but he’s also trying to do that while acclimating to an offense that went through well-documented changes during the offseason.
Foles is playing for a new quarterbacks coach and new coordinator with the league’s youngest offensive line and a mostly unproven group of pass catchers, so it’s understandable why his play has been up and down in the first five games. And there hasn’t been much rhyme or reason behind Foles’ success or mistakes since he’s been under pressure in pretty much every game. Sometimes he beats it consistently, as he did against Seattle and Arizona, and sometimes he struggles mightily like he did against Green Bay and Washington.
Which is why Foles could be found during the bye week spending extra time on the practice field working on timing with receivers. Based on what we know about the team, Foles doesn’t need to return to the Pro Bowl level of 2013 (though the Rams wouldn’t mind). Instead, he needs to be more consistent in the face of pressure and keep turnovers to a minimum. That, along with the emergence of running back Todd Gurley, would go a long way toward getting the Rams where they want to go in 2015.
“I think it’s just learning a new system,” Foles said. “It’s not, like we’ve said, second nature. The offense I had been in was second nature to me because I had been in it for two years and felt real comfortable. You’re learning a new system, so as you learn, you just got to get to the point where it’s second nature so you can just go out there and react to it. I’m getting more and more comfortable each week.”
October 20, 2015 at 10:06 pm in reply to: as we prepare for the post-bye era: reporters preview the BROWNS game #32669znModeratorWithout playing, bye week was good to the Rams
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/22634/without-playing-bye-week-was-good-to-the-rams
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams were in the midst of four days off Sunday as most of the rest of the NFL was in action. On Monday morning, there was no kvetching about a loss or celebrating a win.
Instead, the Rams and their fans were able to kick back and watch as the NFC West took another step toward forming its 2015 personality. For a division that’s been one of the league’s best over the past few years, it hasn’t looked the part much this season and certainly didn’t on Sunday.
So while the Rams remain 2-3 as they prepare to return to action this week against Cleveland, they actually gained ground in the division on a crazy football Sunday.
Here’s a quick run through the happenings in the NFC West and where the Rams stand coming out of the bye:
The division-leading Arizona Cardinals have looked like world-beaters in four blowout wins this year. Save for a loss to the Rams, the Cardinals appeared nearly invincible — until Sunday’s trip to Pittsburgh. Despite another big offensive performance, the Cardinals were plagued by the same things that hurt them against the Rams in a 25-13 loss to the Steelers. Pittsburgh rushed for 142 yards in the second half (sound familiar?), the Cardinals couldn’t finish drives with touchdowns and had some costly turnovers.
znModeratorThat works better with a laugh track.
And I hate laugh tracks.
Still it;s more watchable with one.
znModeratorthe one question i gotta ask myself. can he be as good as eli manning?
i’d say he definitely could be as good as eli manning. and i’d also say that gurley would rival any running back the giants had.
Interesting way to look at it.
Foles can be good for long series of games.
Conversely, when the Giants OL fell apart in 2013, so did Eli. Just like our Nick does.
So the parallel is useful I think.
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