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August 17, 2015 at 9:48 pm in reply to: Some Tweets from Oxnard … + link to live twitter feed #28848
znModerator@seattlerams @wynnde13 Havenstein and Brown both standing up Dallas DL in first drill by us. Barnes whiffs. GRob missed pancake of Hardy.
— Christopher Dowell (@pikebishop) August 18, 2015
August 17, 2015 at 9:46 pm in reply to: Some Tweets from Oxnard … + link to live twitter feed #28847znModeratorFirst 11 on 11 between Dallas offense and Rams defense. This far Rams have got better of it.#CowboysCamp pic.twitter.com/S6cyD3Ns2u
— VCSSports (@VCStarSports) August 17, 2015
August 17, 2015 at 9:45 pm in reply to: Some Tweets from Oxnard … + link to live twitter feed #28846znModeratorRams front dominating Cowboys line. Romo gets picked by Rams def end.#CowboysCamp
— VCSSports (@VCStarSports) August 17, 2015
August 17, 2015 at 7:36 pm in reply to: Some Tweets from Oxnard … + link to live twitter feed #28830znModeratorRams set for California practices with Cowboys amid questions of relocation
Nick Wagoner
There’s no denying that the St. Louis Rams will get a taste of a vastly different training camp atmosphere this week when they work with the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard, California, over the course of the next couple of days.
Beyond the usual pomp and circumstance of a Cowboys practice, there will be plenty of representation from the team’s Los Angeles days, especially with the looming possibility of the team’s return to the City of Angels. All of that should create something of a circus atmosphere, an atmosphere that Rams coach Jeff Fisher doesn’t seem too concerned about.
In fact, Fisher reiterated over the weekend how much he’s looking forward to the chance to practice with a team as talented as Dallas.
Jeff Fisher said his focus this week in California will be on improvement, not his team’s potential relocation there. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
“Players are looking forward to it, it’ll be great work,” Fisher said. “I spoke with Coach [Jason] Garrett and put a really good practice schedule together, so we’ll get really good, quality work out there. We’re just going to use this as an opportunity for both teams to improve. ”
Of course, it’s fair to assert that the Rams will be inundated with questions about their potential future home while practicing only about 60 miles north of owner Stan Kroenke’s proposed Inglewood stadium project. In fact, it’s believed that Kroenke will attend the practices, something he has almost never done since he’s been majority owner in St. Louis.
Since the initial announcement of the joint practice sessions in the spring, Fisher and the Rams have been adamant that training with the Cowboys has nothing to do with being in Southern California and everything to do with logistics. Fisher stuck by that assertion again recently.
“Well, I said this numerous times, we felt like our team was in a position to gain some additional experience on the practice field or in a lot of ways, gain an additional preseason game and so we talked to a number of clubs,” Fisher said. “It just so happened from a timing standpoint it worked out that Dallas was our best option. So we did talk to Midwest teams and timing wise it just didn’t work out. From a travel standpoint, with the late game last night and avoiding the late travel back, we felt like with the Cowboys’ availability, this was going to be our best option.”
The Rams did indeed talk to some options closer to home, namely Indianapolis, the team they play in the final preseason game. Had that game been earlier on the schedule, it’s possible the Colts would have come to Earth City to scrimmage the Rams for a few days before that game but it became something of a non-starter when the schedule had Indianapolis as the opponent in the final week of the exhibition slate.
As for the usual scuffles that tend to pop up in these joint practices — see Washington versus Houston circa a week and a half ago — Fisher said he and Garrett have already taken steps to try to prevent those situations from popping up.
“We’re not going to have a problem with that,” Fisher said. “I’ve been talking to Dallas and I’ll have conversations with Jason and Stephen [Jones] and Jerry [Jones]. We’re going out there to get better and compete against them. We’re not going out there to have joint practices that end up being practices on your own because you can’t get along. I mean, it’ll be competitive but, there’s a, I’ll guarantee a respect factor between both teams.”
znModeratorInteresting article, why didn’t you put it on the football page?
Mistake. But fixed now.
August 16, 2015 at 10:45 pm in reply to: Some misc tweets – Some training camp tweets? – Some extra tweets #28807znModerator
znModeratorGiven that we’re talking about the fifth cornerback spot, the deciding factor could be which player offers the most on special teams. Either way, with Gaines out of the picture this year, there’s now a job opening that previously didn’t exist. It’s up to the remaining contenders to prove deserving of it.
This is really interesting. They have 4 corners (I count Joyner as a free safety/nickel like McCleod was.) Jenkins, Johnson, Roberson, Claiborne. Plus they have Gaines (I don’t know enough about McGee to count him.) Two will be up next year–Johnson and Jenkins–though they are looking to extend Jenkins. Roberson is impressing people and Claiborne was catching peoples’s eyes since he signed as a UDFA.
Plus next year’s draft is reportedly strong at corner.
And whether or not they re-sign Johnson, next year they will probably have Jenkins, Gaines, Roberson, and Claiborne.
This is the deepest they have been at corner…for how long?
And it includes 1 2nd round pick, 1 3rd round pick, 1 6th round pick, and 2 UDFAs.
Now that there is some bargain huntin.
August 16, 2015 at 10:21 pm in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28805znModeratorfrom off the net
—
alyoshamucci Part One
I haven’t done my formal review yet but I gave [Foles] a great grade. The team seemed different. It was palpable. I look for body language and focus, and across every player there was a good mixture of “focused” and “loose”.
There is a really good chance that Bradford was just simply never one of the guys, and was either off putting, intimidating, or pressurizing.
Either way we looked different as an offense. He made a couple great throws and a couple he could have thrown a tad better.
He also took the sacks when Washington came in and blew back to back protections instead of throwing a bad ball.
I was more pleased with how the team looked around him than any one thing he did.
***
Tru looked really ready, I’m not too bummed [about Gaines] as a result. That’s why you keep a stable of CBs and RBs. Too easily dinged.
Roberson had a nice tackle, and that was his issue IMO. Not physical enough. Seems to have worked on it.
Claiborne is smart. Right place at the right time isn’t chance over a long enough period. He’s got length too. That combo is a good thing.
znModeratorE.J. Gaines has season-ending surgery
Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13449209/ej-gaines-st-louis-rams-season-foot-injury
St. Louis Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines will miss the 2015 NFL season after suffering a foot injury in the opening weekend of this year’s training camp, the team confirmed Sunday morning.
The injury occurred when receiver Kenny Britt stepped on Gaines’ foot as the two got tangled during a practice drill. The result was a Lisfranc injury for Gaines that required surgery and will keep him from returning this season.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the news of Gaines’ surgery.
Gaines emerged as one of the team’s starting corners in 2014 after presumed starter Trumaine Johnson suffered a knee injury in the team’s third preseason game. Gaines played well enough in Johnson’s absence to keep the job when Johnson returned in Week 9.
After posting 70 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and eight pass breakups in 15 games last year, Gaines was the odds-on favorite to win a competition with Johnson for the outside starting spot this year.
That competition never really took form, though, as Gaines suffered the foot injury less than a week into camp. The Rams had maintained that Gaines was still undergoing tests as recently as Saturday night after Gaines had visited foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte.
Without Gaines, Johnson figures to move back into his starting role with Lamarcus Joyner handling the slot in the nickel package.
====
Loss of E.J. Gaines creates opportunity at cornerback
Nick Wagoner
Now that the St. Louis Rams have made it official that cornerback E.J. Gaines will not play in 2015 because of a foot injury, there’s a job opening at cornerback, a position that previously appeared to be well-stocked enough to keep any young contenders from breaking through to the roster.
Without Gaines, the Rams no longer have any real pressing questions about who will start and who will be the nickel corner. Trumaine Johnson steps back into his starting role on the outside opposite Janoris Jenkins ,and Lamarcus Joyner steps into the nickel corner role the team drafted him to play.
But there’s a trickle down effect that could offer an opening for a young corner who has already made a strong impression in this training camp. That would be undrafted rookie Imoan Claiborne.
Claiborne was one of the prizes of the team’s free-agent rookie class, receiving an $5,000 signing bonus after going undrafted despite playing in the Senior Bowl. At Northwestern (La.) State in 2014, Claiborne showed a knack for making plays on the ball, coming up with three interceptions and four fumble recoveries. NFL.com projected Claiborne as a third- or fourth-round pick.
In training camp and the preseason, Claiborne has offered glimpses of that playmaking ability. In a recent practice, Claiborne had two interceptions in a span of three plays and then picked off Oakland quarterback Derek Carr just before halftime in the preseason opener.
“He’s got ball skills and he’s been productive,” coach Jeff Fisher said Friday night. “He’s got a good defensive mind and he understands things.”
Of course, Claiborne’s path to the roster comes with no guarantees. The Rams have Jenkins, Johnson and Joyner in place and have carried five corners in recent years. The fourth spot figures to go to second-year corner Marcus Roberson, whom the team has high hopes for moving forward, leaving a potential fifth spot up for grabs.
Brandon McGee, a fifth-round pick in 2013, remains on the roster after missing all but two games last season with a foot injury. McGee has missed most of this training camp with that injury, leaving the door open for someone like Claiborne to break through.
Given that we’re talking about the fifth cornerback spot, the deciding factor could be which player offers the most on special teams. Either way, with Gaines out of the picture this year, there’s now a job opening that previously didn’t exist. It’s up to the remaining contenders to prove deserving of it.
znModeratorOne thing not quite mentioned in that write-up. Shurmur’s defense that day was effectively an all LB, no DL defense on passing downs.
==============
The Rams entered the game with just four healthy defensive linemen, and used none of them on passing downs. Los Angeles went with five linebackers and six defensive backs on long-yardage situations and played zone defense every play.
They hardly resembled the unit that finished 21st among 28 NFL clubs in team defense and last against the pass this season.
‘It might be the first time we played exclusively zone defense,’ Rams inside linebacker Mel Owens said. ‘We had all our guys looking at Randall. We played in front of him and had a lot of guys defending him. That way, he has to stay back and read the defense.
Los Angeles’ defensive plan was designed to keep Cunningham from scrambling for big gains.
‘We knew he was a scrambler,’ said outside linebacker Kevin Greene, who had both of the Rams’ sacks. ‘If we gave him the opportunity to run and find a crease, he’d make some big plays.
‘He ran for some first downs (39 yards on 6 carries), but we did a good job of containing him.
znModeratorI dont remember who Ran the ball for that Eagle team?
Hopefully Gurley/Tre will help the Rams go further
than that great Eagle team.Seems pretty obvious the season will come down
to the OLine. Shocking statement, i know.w
vother teams similar in construction… 85 bears
znModerator
Greg Cosell’s Playoff Preview: Chip Kelly’s offensive innovation is all in the presentationBy Greg Cosell
January 4, 2014I like the Eagles’ offense and enjoy watching it on film – the offense really features a ton of misdirection and deceptions. The Eagles create conflicts for defense and space for running backs and receivers. That’s what they do in a nutshell.
And they’re so good at doing those things.
I think what Eagles coach Chip Kelly does is all in the presentation. If you watch right after the snap, you see a large majority of tactics everyone does. The route combinations are NFL combinations, the running game is a zone game for the most part, like a lot of NFL teams. When ball is snapped, he’s doing mostly what everyone else does. Before the snap, it’s formations, it’s motions, it’s very simple, subtle things you probably wouldn’t notice when you’re watching a game. I don’t always notice them watching the game the first time, then I watch the games on film and I see them. Keep an eye out for it when the Eagles play the Saints on Saturday night.
I’ll give you an example, and it came on a 20-yard run by LeSean McCoy in the first quarter against the Cowboys last week. Receiver Jason Avant motioned into the formation. Seems like nothing – take a slot receiver into the formation. Seems like everyone does that, no big deal. But what happened is, when you do that, you end up creating another gap for the defense to account for. And you have defenders outside of those gaps, so when you have an inside run, there aren’t enough defenders. Then the Eagles snapped the ball as soon as Avant got to the formation.
View gallery
.(NFL.com screen shot)
View gallery
.(NFL.com screen shot)
It’s simple stuff like that, and it gets a 20-yard run.
Again, it’s all in the presentation. He’s great using formations and motion and spreading field horizontally. He makes the defense defend the whole field. There’s a lot of space for the opponent to cover.
In the passing game, it’s funny because you don’t see Nick Foles make a number of difficult throws. We talk about NFL quarterbacks making stick throws into a tight window, and how that is a necessity. You don’t see that a lot with Foles. He throws to a lot of open receivers. Kelly breaks defenses down really well with his routes and spreading the field. There are route combinations everyone runs, he just gets to them in a different way. Again, he creates conflict for defense and space for his offense to work.
I don’t know if this has been drilled into Foles by Kelly, but Foles is a safe quarterback. If he doesn’t feel it’s there or it’s not in the play design, he doesn’t throw it. He’s a primary read quarterback – and my interpretation is that’s what Kelly wants.
Kelly’s concepts are sound. And the speed/tempo element adds a lot. When you think of no-huddle offenses, people think of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. They get to the line of scrimmage and take some time to and research the defense. The Eagles don’t research the defense, they get up to the line and snap the ball. It’s hard to play defense against that. Opponents just have to make sure they get lined up, and they have to play every basic. The Eagles don’t face a lot of the defensive multiplicity, and that’s an interesting element in the playoff game against the Saints.
Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan is very good at what we call “designer blitzes.” He comes up with some for each opponent. But it’s hard to be complex against the Eagles. And you can’t substitute. This particular player may be critical to this specific blitz for the Saints, but you might not be able to get him in the game. That doesn’t mean the Saints won’t blitz at all, but sometimes it’s limited against speed/tempo offenses like the Eagles
znModerator
EAGLES: As Bradford sits, race for No. 3 QB job between Barkley, Tebow heats upPHILADELPHIA — The quarterback derby looked like a one-horse race for most of the first two weeks of Eagles training camp.
It was Sam Bradford alone in the stretch. Mark Sanchez was a few lengths back and even further back were Matt Barkley and Tim Tebow.
Bradford, however, was pulled up before he could reach the finish line when head coach Chip Kelly tugged on the reins and announced on Friday that Bradford will sit out the team’s preseason opener Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at Lincoln Financial Field.
It almost sounded like a knee-jerk reaction to keep Bradford and his twice-surgically repaired left knee on the sidelines, with the coach saying that he went back and forth with the decision. He added that it was influenced by the dislocated ankle Washington receiver Niles Paul suffered the night before in Washington’s exhibition opener while also mentioning that Bradford had just two weeks of practice without any limitations, something he did not have in the spring.
Kelly said that Bradford will get some good work in against an opposing defense when the Baltimore Ravens come to town for three days starting Wednesday to train with the Birds as they prepare together for their game against each other Saturday night at the Linc.
August 16, 2015 at 10:42 am in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28769znModerator. They have kept all the players I thought they should keep. So far.
Did you get to see Mannion? I forget if you had the game or not.
August 16, 2015 at 9:29 am in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28767znModeratorRams vs. Oakland Raiders: Postgame Thoughts and Observations
by Patrick Karraker
The St. Louis Rams won’t be able to go undefeated this preseason, as they were dealt an 18-3 loss by the Oakland Raiders on Friday night. Coach Jeff Fisher and his staff definitely played it conservatively on Friday, as the projected starters who saw action (including rookies Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown) played just a couple series before coming out for the night. Thus, not a whole lot can be taken away from the kickoff to the preseason, as a large chunk of the players who determined the outcome of Friday’s game either won’t be on the Rams’ roster come September or will never see action from scrimmage. In fact, it seems that the Rams may place more emphasis on their organized practice and scrimmage against the Dallas Cowboys this week in Oxnard, California, as defensive end Chris Long was rested on Friday night, but is expected to participate when facing Dallas this week.
Here are a few thoughts and observations from Friday’s preseason opener:
At this point, the thought of beginning a new season must give Rams left guard Rodger Saffold nightmares. Saffold was carted off the field with a neck injury 2012 regular season opener at Detroit, sustained a shoulder injury in the 2013 preseason opener at Cleveland, suffered a leg injury in his personal preseason opener last season at Cleveland (after missing the first two exhibition games with an achy shoulder), and left last year’s regular season opener against Minnesota with a neck stinger. Friday was no exception, as Saffold left the game after just three plays with a wrist injury. He did not return, though Jeff Fisher said in his postgame press conference that Saffold would probably be fine. Saffold is one of the Rams’ best players when healthy, but hopefully they’ve realized by now that they need a quality backup behind him for all the time that he misses while dealing with injuries.
Saffold’s injury did create an opportunity for Brandon Washington, who’s been with the Rams for four seasons, to showcase himself at left guard. Washington has been in a constant battle to make (and then stay on) the roster during his Rams career, and that’s perhaps true in this year more than any other, as he has to fight off the five linemen the Rams drafted, among others, in order to have a shot at the 53-man roster. Washington showed some nice physicality in the early going, though he did allow Oakland defensive lineman Shelby Harris to get past him for a sack and later missed several plays with an injury of his own.
Rookie right tackle Rob Havenstein wasn’t terrible on Friday night, but it’s clear that he needs to make adjustments to his pass blocking technique, which is far from a surprise considering his monstrous height and the run-based offense he played in at Wisconsin. The 6-foot-8 Havenstein wasn’t getting enough knee bend coming out of his pass set, which left him susceptible to getting overpowered and pushed back. If he can get his weight under him just a bit more, he’ll become much more successful as a pass blocker.
Supplemental draft pick Isaiah Battle had a very rough night, which wasn’t the most surprising thing in the world considering that he was Clemson’s projected starting left tackle for this season just six weeks ago. The Rams are in no rush to make him a contributor; they have no less than three tackles that are firmly slotted ahead of him on the depth chart, and GM Les Snead was upfront after taking Battle in saying that he would need at least a year before he’d be ready to get on the field for meaningful snaps. With that said, Battle is going to have an uphill battle (no pun intended) to make himself a successful pro. By NFL tackle standards, he’s a toothpick at 6-foot-7 and 290 pounds, and it wasn’t a massive exaggeration when TV analyst and Rams legend Torry Holt remarked on Friday that Battle “has no strength at all”. With NFL strength and conditioning programs having been hugely limited by the new CBA, Battle is going to need to have an incredible desire to build his body and craft his game independently, which may be a challenge considering the apparent lack of motivation that got him in trouble at Clemson.
Seeing as the Rams drafted five offensive linemen and have several veteran backup types like Washington, Garrett Reynolds, and Travis Bond, it was quite surprising to see undrafted rookie Darrell Williams working as the Rams’ second-team left tackle on Friday. Williams, a 6-foot-5, 300-pounder, delivered a pretty impressive performance and actually seemed more comfortable than guys like Havenstein and Battle. It should be interesting to see if Williams can make himself a practice squad candidate, or perhaps even make a good enough impression to push a player like Reynolds or fourth-rounder Andrew Donnal out of the mix when the Rams cut to 53.
Tavon Austin had only one reception on Friday night, but he made the most of it, gaining 35 yards on the play after accumulating some extremely impressive yards after the catch. Austin seemed to gain confidence over the second half of last season, but his catch and subsequent movement down the field was just about the most comfortable he’s looked in open space since becoming a Ram in 2013. After two seasons of primarily disappointing results from the former seventh-overall pick, it was so uplifting to see Austin do something productive, even if it was just in a preseason game.
I wrote earlier this week about how Marshall McFadden seemed to have worked his way back into the mix for the Rams at linebacker. The special teams ace, who was released and demoted to the practice squad during the middle of the 2014 season, continued his battle to get back on the Rams’ 53-man roster with three tackles and some impressive moxie on Friday. McFadden could make himself particularly indispensable if Daren Bates, who left Friday’s game, is seriously injured, but he already seems to have the edge for the sixth linebacker job over rookie Bryce Hager and the injured Korey Toomer.
Speaking of Hager, he had some brutal moments in coverage–most notably a blown assignment that allowed Oakland receiver Andre Holmes to score a touchdown in the second quarter–and he didn’t exactly make a great impression despite leading the team with seven tackles. Considering the Rams’ general disregard of seventh-round picks under the Fisher/Snead administration, the odds were already against Hager in his battle to make the 53-man roster, so Friday’s performance didn’t help his cause.
It was quite odd to see newly-signed linebacker Akeem Ayers being pressed into coverage against Oakland receivers early on in Friday’s game. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Ayers, who remarked during an in-game interview that he has to “get used to playing linebacker again”, was mainly used as a blitzing specialist after being traded to the Patriots early last season, and many have anticipated that he’ll fill a similar role with the Rams. Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who seems to be comfortable dropping literally any of his defenders back into coverage, might as well get the hefty linebacker re-acclimated to handling receivers and tight ends while the games don’t count.
In his first NFL action, third-rounder Sean Mannion was more than solid at quarterback, completing 8 of 13 passes for 53 yards. Considering that pocket presence was one of his most pressing issues at Oregon State, it was quite a feat for Mannion to be the only Rams quarterback who wasn’t sacked on Friday, especially since he was playing behind an extremely inexperienced line.
Cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who had an interception against Oakland, is a guy to really watch in the early part of this season, as he may be a candidate for a major breakout season. Johnson began intently studying tape for the first time this offseason, and if the 6-foot-2, 208-pounder can develop a superior level of intellect to go along with his elite size, there’s no reason that he can’t be one of the better cornerbacks in the league. He’s had issues with consistency through his first three seasons, but if he can sort those out, look for him to make major improvements.
August 15, 2015 at 11:05 pm in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28761znModeratorLaRam
I had to read it again but that’s a good review IMO.
A bit harsh in spots, but there’s a lot of good stuff there.
BTW it’s starting to look like we can count on Barnes to be solid at center.
That’s better than Wells was after he got whittled down. So who knows.
The surprise for me was Givens. I had pretty much just written him off.
August 15, 2015 at 9:51 pm in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28757znModeratorfrom off the net
RockRam
I watched the first couple of offensive series in slo mo and focused on Brown and Havenstein.
Both did well run and pass blocking.
Brown is quick off the ball and mobile. In Slo mo he’s usually the first OL to fire out…..and that dude is BIG! One time he pulled to his left so fast he almost ran over Foles who was dropping back to hand off.
Havenstein washed down the entire side to his left on one play. He is very good at maintaining his balance and staying in front of his guy. Has a real sense for shielding his guy away from a play.
B.Jones did not do well. He gets pushed back too easy, even in double teams.
Barnes held the point much better.
Rhaney did a good job (had a couple of poor snaps). His short stature and lightening fast get off gets him into his man before the guy can get into him. Being shorter seems to give him a leverage advantage (ala Donald).
I’d have to say after this first preseason game that it is Barnes 1, Rhaney 2, Jones 3, at least from the blocking standpoint
It was pretty clear that once the entire starting offense and defense was benched after 2 series, that the goal for Fisher was to test the youngsters.
Among the 2nd and 3rd teamers, the guys who impressed were Rhaney at Center and Claiborne at CB. Westbrooks was active and disruptive, and D. Williams at LT wasn’t bad either.ON 2 WRITTEN-OFF PLAYERS:
Givens played hard, caught everything catchable.
Pead looked better than I’ve seen him as a Ram. Hit the hole hard, fought for yards. I think he and Watts are in a real battle for the 4th RB/STs slot.
August 15, 2015 at 9:40 pm in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28756znModeratorfrom off the net
flv
Helping themselves:
LT Darrell Wiiliams. Played against back-ups but looked like a starter. #6 OL on this form.
CB Imoan Claiborne. Needed to make a play…and did.
RB Trey Watts. Elusive and awkward to bring down.
RB Isaiah Pead. Decisive, pacy, versatile.
WR Chris Givens. Solid. Caught pass in traffic – No really!!!
C Tim Barnes. By default.Not helping themselves:
OL Brandon Washington. Struggled when it mattered.
LT Isaiah Battle. Struggled when it didn’t matter.
K/P Michael Palardy. 0/1 wide right. (bubble is generous).
C David Wang. 3-way battle. Didn’t make it 4.
LB Bryce Hager. All LBs struggled shedding blockers. Big missed tackle to boot.
C Barrett Jones. More issues than Barnes vs lesser opposition.
RB Malcolm Brown. Flat. No spark.
CB Lamarcus Joyner. Thankful for Draft status and guaranteed salary. Not a top 4 CB yet.August 15, 2015 at 9:37 pm in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28755znModeratorfrom off the net
RamzFanz
No one wants to watch a loss or a team that can’t get in the endzone, but what we watched wasn’t really the Rams we will see in season.
I thought Foles played great. He was in for 11 minutes and hit 3/5 for 69 yards. Cook was interfered with and should have caught that ball anyways. That extrapolates out to a 60% completion percentage and 376 yards with 16 completions. Not bad.
I liked the play calling and design for the most part but not too much exciting. I didn’t agree with the fade to Cook on 3rd down. Hit him in the seam and go for the first down.
For a supposedly run first team, Mason was only run twice. Not a sample size that will tell us what he or the line are capable of or how the defense would act if he is successful and have to play the run more.
Out of the skill positions that started, I was expecting to be impressed with Britt, TA, Bailey, and Cook. Another small sample size, but if they do that all season, we’re going to be moving balls. Cook didn’t show anything but his camp performance has been outstanding.
Givens and Kendricks surprised me in a good way. I’m a Kendricks fan and he was having a rough TC.
Pead didn’t surprise me. He played as well as in camp. Nice one handed catch too!
Keenum played pretty good too. Better than I expected. A lot of dropped passes and unflagged muggings.
Bam Bam did what Bam Bam needs to do, 3 yards and a cloud of dust.
The starting line was pretty good. Washington was terrible. Robinson did get pushed around too but he bent and didn’t break. He needs something to get him over the hump.
Mannion has future starter written all over him.
LOTS of penalties but, ZERO turnovers! That’s great!
I think the Rams proved again what we mostly already expect. Protect Foles and he’ll get the job done. Don’t protect him and it’s going to stay ugly.
I don’t care if the players they are cutting are better than the players we are cutting, I saw a lot to like from our starters and the right side of the o-line, my biggest worry, was a brick wall.
August 15, 2015 at 9:01 pm in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28750znModeratorRams’ penalty problems persist in preseason
Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/20389/rams-penalty-problems-persist-in-preseason
Looking back at how the St. Louis Rams fared, here are three things worth watching after their 18-3 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Friday night:
1. Will penalty problems persist?: In short, the answer was yes. The Rams were penalized 10 timed for 75 yards and had at least three other calls that were either declined or negated by Raiders penalties. Coach Jeff Fisher has said cutting down on penalties is a point of emphasis for his team and has pointed to preseason penalty problems as being a function of players unlikely to make the team in the past. But when the season starts, the Rams have often carried over those issues. In three seasons under Fisher, the Rams lead the league in penalties and penalty yards. Clearly, the emphasis will need to be ratcheted up through the rest of the preseason if the Rams are ever to make progress in this area.
2. First look at Foles: As expected, starting quarterback Nick Foles played two series before calling it a night. He started off as well as he could, completing his first two passes for 61 yards, including a strike to tight end Lance Kendricks for 26 yards on his first snap as Rams quarterback. It wasn’t all positive for Foles, though, as he came under fire on the team’s second possession with pressure coming off the left side. He was sacked once (a second was wiped out by offsetting penalties) and looked like he struggled to get through his progressions before taking those hits. All told, it was about what you’d expect with flashes of good and bad as Foles finished 3-of-5 for 69 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
3. Injuries into opportunity: With players such as running back Todd Gurley and cornerbacks E.J. Gaines and Brandon McGee battling injuries, there were ample opportunities for some other players to step in and contribute. At running back, Gurley didn’t play and Tre Mason made just two carries before calling it a night. That left some chances for undrafted rookie Malcolm Brown to play. Brown did some good things, carrying twice for 18 yards and adding a catch for 7 yards. At corner, it was rookie free agent Imoan Claiborne who stepped in and surprised. He’s had some interceptions in camp and added another to his tally by picking off Christian Ponder before the end of the first half. There’s still a long road for players such as Brown and Claiborne to make the roster, but Friday night offered a positive step in that direction.
znModeratorWhat kind of fires do you build in Maine?
znModeratorSiberian Ways. Big Log Fire
That’s clearly an analogy. I am just not sure what it says. Explain? Thanks.
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August 15, 2015 at 11:00 am in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28728znModeratorJust speculating but it is entirely possible that Oakland game-planned the Rams whereas the Rams were just in normal pre-season mode.
Why would Oakland do that? It’s a good motivator for Del Rio to remind them about 52-0 and go get some payback.
Now of course as I said this is pure speculation. Meaning, anyone who dares disagree with this true insight of mine is not a real Rams fan.
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Oakland’s OL surprised me. I didn’t think it was that good.
Hudson. Gabe Jackson. They got Donald Penn (LOT) up and going again. Another line built with free agents mixed in with draft picks.
August 15, 2015 at 10:29 am in reply to: Mission Accomplished! … responses to the Oakland game #28726znModeratorIt was hard to tell a lot from the game. The Raiders looked the better team. I liked Havenstein, Brown, and Mannion. The rest seemed up and down.
Just speculating but it is entirely possible that Oakland game-planned the Rams whereas the Rams were just in normal pre-season mode.
Why would Oakland do that? It’s a good motivator for Del Rio to remind them about 52-0 and go get some payback.
Now of course as I said this is pure speculation. Meaning, anyone who dares disagree with this true insight of mine is not a real Rams fan.
.
znModeratorYeah, he has to learn to hold onto the passes,
and not get himself kilt too soon. Them two things.w
vWhat I like is that instead of doing that stupid Brian S. stuff where they would throw to Tavon standing still behind the LOS…
…Cigz instead throws to him on a bubble screen.
August 15, 2015 at 2:46 am in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28708znModeratorTrumaine Johnson shows he’s capable of reclaiming starting job
Nick Wagoner
It was the third preseason game last season when St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson suffered a knee injury that essentially cost him his starting job. It was an injury to another corner, this time E.J. Gaines, that might have given it back to Johnson.
“I don’t look at it like that,” Johnson said on the team’s broadcast. “I pray for the best for him for a speedy recovery. We always say it’s always next man up.”
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Last year, Gaines was the next man up when Johnson went down. Gaines never looked back on his way to an impressive rookie season in which he held on to the job almost the entire season.Now, with Gaines battling a foot injury that looks like it will keep him out a while, the roles are reversed. And Johnson showed Friday night that if indeed he has to step back into his former role, he’s more than ready to do so.
Johnson played only two series in the Rams’ 18-3 loss Friday night to the Oakland Raiders, but nevertheless he made his presence felt early and often. Playing in front of about 50 to 60 friends and family members from nearby Stockton, California, Johnson finished with a tackle, an interception and two passes defended. He did have a facemask penalty that cost the Rams 15 yards but immediately redeemed himself by coming up with the interception. He jumped an inside slant route at the goal line to kill a potential scoring drive.
It was a tantalizing reminder of Johnson’s physical talent. At 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, Johnson is the closest thing the Rams have to the bigger, more physical corner preferred by teams around the league. Despite that size, Johnson seemed to get lost in the shuffle after his injury in 2014.
By the end of the season, Johnson had 36 tackles and three interceptions in nine games. He played mostly on the outside with Gaines moving into the slot when the Rams went to nickel formations. But Johnson was also never really back to full strength until this offseason. He said Friday night that he’s no longer thinking about the knee issue.
“No, not at all,” Johnson said. “You can’t. It was feeling 100 [percent] on our first break, when we got those four months off after the season. I stayed in St. Louis for the most part, not because I was injured but because I wanted to.”
Whether Johnson will get the chance to stay in St. Louis beyond this season remains to be seen. He’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the year. But with Gaines ailing, Johnson figures to get a shot to regain his job in the short term. And if he can carry over Friday’s performance into consistent production in the regular season, maybe even longer.
August 15, 2015 at 2:45 am in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28707znModeratorRams drop preseason opener vs. Raiders
Nate Latsch
http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story/1574539-rams-drop-preseason-opener-vs-raiders
HIGHLIGHTS
• Quarterback Nick Foles completed three of five pass attempts for 69 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. He was sacked once. Foles started off with some nice throws but struggled late in his second series when he was overwhelmed by defensive pressure.
• One of those Foles completions was a quick screen left to Tavon Austin that the diminutive speedster turned into a 35-yard gain with some nifty cuts downfield. The Rams need to get the former first-round pick more involved in the offense and give him a chance to make these kind of plays.
• Trumaine Johnson’s first-quarter interception of a Derek Carr pass thwarted what looked to be a scoring drive on the Raiders’ second series. Johnson redeemed himself after committing a penalty earlier on the possession.
• Undrafted rookie cornerback Imoan Claiborne came up with an interception of a Christian Ponder pass late in the first half. He’s been in the right place at a right time on a few occasions throughout camp and with E.J. Gaines out with an injury could be setting himself up to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
• Rookie quarterback Sean Mannion saw some time late in the fourth quarter and the third-round pick showed inconsistency but did have some flashes. He completed eight of 13 pass attempts for 53 yards.
LOWLIGHTS
• Starting left guard Rodger Saffold left the game holding his right arm or wrist following the fourth play of the game and did not return. It could be a reoccurrence of the shoulder issue he has been bothered by in the past and had surgery to fix this offseason.
• The Rams’ renovated offensive line didn’t fare well in its first outing and looked very poor at times with pass protection. Losing Saffold early didn’t help, though he wouldn’t have played much more anyway. It’s only one game, but the St. Louis offensive line has to get better quickly.
• Penalties. Penalties. Penalties. The Rams were flagged 10 times for 75 yards. Penalties in a preseason game isn’t unusual, of course, but with the Rams’ history of committing too many it is worth noting.
• Lamarcus Joyner was beaten on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Christian Ponder to Andre Holmes. Joyner was screened a bit by Rams rookie linebacker Bryce Hager, but the 2014 second-round pick still could have made a better play on the ball.
• The Raiders’ four quarterbacks combined to complete 23 of 30 passes for 215 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Matt McGloin completed 10 of 11 passes for 104 yards and a score.
• The Rams’ defense couldn’t get off the field on third down. The Raiders converted seven of their 11 third-down attempts (63 percent).
August 15, 2015 at 2:44 am in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28706znModeratorFive Takeaways: Rams at Raiders
Myles Simmons
The first preseason game is in the books, with the Rams getting good work in against the Raiders. The final score was 18-3. Here are five takeaways from the first exhibition matchup.
1. Tavon Austin is really fast
The wide receiver was electrifying on the Rams’ second snap, as he took a screen play 35 yards to set up a field goal. Head coach Jeff Fisher and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti have both stated that they would like to increase the number of times Austin has the ball in space, and this play was a prime example of that coming to fruition.
The wideout made the catch on the left side of the field, got a good block from fellow receiver Kenny Britt, and then juked his way past a few black jerseys to get to the middle of the gridiron. From there, it was Austin’s speed and quickness that sprung him for the big gain.
Keep in mind that the Rams will not be featuring their full package of offensive plays until the regular season starts. But at least from the first few plays of this one, the future looks pretty bright for Tavon Austin.
2. Foles getting in sync
While Austin’s shiftiness may have set up that field goal, the drive began with an impressive down-field pass from quarterback Nick Foles to tight end Lance Kendricks. The QB floated the ball right to the bread basket, and it ended up going for a 26-yard gain.
“He’s just in sync with the whole offense — a great rhythm, great timing with everybody, easy to work with,” Kendricks said. “It’s going to be a fun season”
Foles finished 3-of-5 passing for 69 yards in his Rams preseason debut. Kendricks said he was pleased with how the first offensive unit performed.
“I think we played pretty good, a couple mistakes here and there, but we’ve got to get better and we will,” Kendricks said.
3. Don’t test Trumaine Johnson
Johnson made a couple of key plays in the first quarter to keep the Raiders from putting up six points. The first came on Oakland’s first drive, when the corner deflected a pass intended for Michael Crabtree close to the front corner of the end zone. And while he committed a facemask penalty on the home team’s second possession, he recovered by ending it with an interception in the end zone.
“I just read the quarterback’s eyes and was able to make a play,” Johnson said of the pick.
While he missed significant time with a knee injury last season, Johnson quietly finished 2014 leading the Rams in interceptions. So far through training camp and limited preseason action, the corner’s ball skills are strong as ever.
4. Target No. 12 and No. 19
Wide receivers Stedman Bailey and Chris Givens led the way for the Rams in targets and receptions. Bailey caught three passes for 24 yards, and Givens caught four for 36. The wideout also took an end around 16 yards, displaying his considerable speed.
But if you noticed in the headline to the section, Givens is no longer wearing No. 13. This week, the receiver switched his number for a great reason, as Tweeted by Rams’ preseason play-by-play broadcaster Andrew Siciliano.
Rams WR Chris Givens will now wear #19 to honor former Wake Forest teammate Kevin Smith-Franklin who died last December in a car accident.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) August 15, 20155. A few too many penalties
In the first half alone, the Rams were flagged six times for 50 yards. Yes, it’s preseason and it’s the first time St. Louis has faced off against an opponent with referees. But holding, facemask, and delay-of-game penalties can be particularly detrimental to a team’s cause. Again, it’s only the first exhibition game, so it’s not reason for alarm. But the Rams will likely look to correct some of those issues over the next week practicing with the Cowboys in Oxnard, Calif.[/quote]
August 15, 2015 at 2:44 am in reply to: Sloppy Rams lose preseason debut…reporters on the Oakland pre-season game #28705znModeratorNo surprise: Rams’ offense a work in progress in loss to Raiders
Nick Wagoner
That the St. Louis Rams only posted a field goal in their 18-3 loss to the Oakland Raiders in the preseason opener should come as no surprise. It’s a group that’s going to take some time to coalesce and expecting it to happen in just a couple of weeks of practice and one preseason game is a fool’s errand.
Whether it was the starters or any of the backups, the Rams simply couldn’t muster much offense, even against the team they beat 52-0 in the 2014 regular season. The Rams finished with 285 total yards and, aside from their opening drive, didn’t come that close to reaching the end zone.
Some more quick thoughts on the preseason opener:
QB depth chart: As expected, Nick Foles made the start and played two series, but there’s no doubt it’s his job. The real battle at quarterback is for the No. 2 job, where Case Keenum got the first opportunity ahead of Austin Davis. Keenum played the second and third quarter, performing better in the third. He stood and delivered well in the face of pressure a couple of times on a third-quarter drive and went 12-of-17 for 83 yards on the night. Davis got the third opportunity, going 1-of-2 for 12 yards before giving way to rookie Sean Mannion. Safe to say, neither Davis nor Keenum did much to separate from each other.
Maybe that dude could start: It’s strange to say about a former No. 8 overall pick, but Tavon Austin offered a glimpse of his game-breaking ability on a 35-yard catch and run on the opening series. He isn’t expected to be a starter in a technical sense, but he reminded why he needs to be heavily involved in the offense because he brings something unique to the table.
Who got hurt?: It’s become an all too familiar refrain, but the Rams were only four plays into their opening drive when left guard Rodger Saffold left the field holding his right arm. He did not return to the game. Linebacker Daren Bates also limped off in the second quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
Among those not playing because of previous issues: running back Todd Gurley, end Chris Long, receiver Brian Quick, cornerback Brandon McGee, cornerback E.J. Gaines, linebacker Korey Toomer, guard Cody Wichmann, tight end Brad Smelley, defensive tackle Doug Worthington and end Eugene Sims.
Surprise performer: Undrafted rookie cornerback Imoan Claiborne has made a habit of coming up with interceptions in practice and carried it over to Friday’s game. He picked off Christian Ponder to end the first half and continues building a case to steal a roster spot at a crowded position.
Rookie watch: Right tackle Rob Havenstein and right guard Jamon Brown started and played the first two series with the starters before calling it a night. They did well to create room for back Benny Cunningham to move the chains on a third-down run and had no serious issues in pass protection though Havenstein appeared to have a couple of hiccups. Andrew Donnal, who came in at right tackle with the second-team offense, picked up a holding penalty to negate a big gain.
When it was starters vs. starters, the Rams looked … : Alternately good and bad. Perhaps as you’d expect from a preseason opener, the Rams’ starters played all but one play of the first quarter and had to take the good with the bad. With starters on the field, the Rams and Raiders were tied at 3.
Foles completed his first two passes for 61 yards to set up a field goal but went nowhere on the second drive, completing one of his next three passes for 8 yards and taking two hits and a sack.
On defense, the vanilla Rams had some trouble with Oakland’s misdirection in the run game and Derek Carr’s quick release in the passing game. Cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who picked up a 15-yard penalty for grabbing a face mask, redeemed himself by jumping a slant at the goal line for an interception to kill the Raiders’ second drive.
One reason to freak out: Although initial returns are that Saffold’s shoulder issue isn’t serious, the Rams can’t afford to lose him for an extended period. He’s the only offensive line starter with more than 12 games of playing experience. Brandon Washington replaced him at left guard and gave up a sack with Foles still in the game. The Rams simply don’t have much proven depth behind the starters on the offensive line.
Man in the middle: The Rams listed Barrett Jones as the starting center on their “unofficial” depth chart this week but it was Tim Barnes getting the start and playing the first two series. Jones came in with the second team and Demetrius Rhaney came in later. That trio is, of course, competing for the starting job in the middle, but the Rams don’t plan to make a decision right away. For what it’s worth, Barnes held up pretty well.
Penalty woes remain: Last week, Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he was pleased with his team’s emphasis on cutting down on penalties. That didn’t last long. They struggled again against the Raiders, posting 10 accepted penalties for 75 yards with at least three more infractions that were declined. Each preseason, Fisher says it’s a problem his team is working to correct. And each year, it carries over as the Rams have the most penalties and penalty yards in the NFL in Fisher’s three seasons in St. Louis.
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