Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
znModeratorCoachO
The biggest improvement IMO, the past few weeks has been the tackling. Very few missed tackles compared to earlier in the season. It’s amazing how much better the defense appears to play when they tackle.
The talent has been there, but now they are playing at a level that compares favorably to the better defenses in the league. And the common denominator in all of those defenses is tackling. What makes SF so good? They tackle. Same with Seattle, Arizona……..
All the schemes in the world won’t look good with the missed tackles this team has suffered thru in recent years. Say what you want about Williams and his scheme. This is the one area I felt would be the most improved in his defense. Now that they can “play fast” as Laurinaitis explained, they aren’t thinking as much, and the improved tackling is a result.
====
ramssuperbowl99
I had a chance to drive down for the game. Never in a million years did I think we’d win. What a game.
Quinn was on fire. Ogletree was everywhere. McDonald and Jenkins looked like totally different players. Apart from the blatant mistake on Ware that resulted in the death of Hill, Robinson was really, really good.
Awesome experience.
znModeratorre-formatted to be copyable by MamaRAMa
—
RAMS REPORT CARD – WEEK 11: RAMS ARE ALL ABOUT THE A’S
Jeff Gordon grades the Rams performance in their upset of the Denver Broncos.Quarterback: A
Shaun Hill replaced Austin Davis this week and set the offensive tone with two big plays over the top to WR Kenny Britt in the first quarter—one for 33 yards and the other for 63 yards and a TD. From there Hill made the plays he needed to make to maintain possession, including some tight throws to WR Stedman Bailey. Better yet, he avoided the big mistake while completing 20 of 29 passes for 220 yards. This performance should bolster the Rams’ confidence as they plow through a tough schedule.Running Backs: A
Hey, look! A Rams running back rushed for more than 100 yards! Speedy rookie Tre Mason banged out 113 yards on 29 carries, with the last several runs going right into the teeth of the top-ranked Denver run defense as the Rams tried to run out the clock. He broke big plays with his seed and ground out some tough yards as well. Cohort Benny Cunningham did a fine job in the passing game, catching four passes coming out of the backfield for 31 yards.Wide Receivers: A
Before coming up sore, Britt punished the Broncos with four catches for 128 yards. Denver could not cover him Sunday. Bailey stepped up as a possession receiver, catching all three passes that came his way in heavy traffic to keep the chains moving. Tavon Austin’s 9-yard reverse run was the closest he came to breaking a play Sunday, but it scarcely mattered in this game.Tight Ends: A
This unit suffered a rough start, when Hill banged a pass off Jared Cook while throwing a bit behind him. But Cook caught three other passes, including one that earned a key first down. He, Lance Kendricks (two catches for 5 yards) and Cory Harkey did their share of blocking, too, against the elite Denver defensive front. They weren’t big factors in this game, but they did their part.Offensive Line: A
The unit was not mistake-free. For instance, Greg Robinson watched DeMarcus Ware sprint into Hill’s back to force a fumble. Fortunately Hill fell on the ball and that breakdown did not prove costly. But mostly this group excelled, getting a good push against the NFL’s top rushing defense. The Rams earned some nice first-down run chunks, keeping Hill in mostly favorable scenarios.Defensive Line: A
DE Robert Quinn just kept coming, breaking down block after block to keep pressure on Broncos QB Peyton Manning. Quinn swatted down consecutive passes in the fourth quarter, giving him three break-ups in the game. Rookie DT Aaron Donald buried Manning with a fourth-down sack that kept the Rams in control. And Denver ran the ball just 10 times for 28 yards against this front.Linebackers: A+
Remember when OLB Alex Ogletree was making more big mistakes than big plays? That was a few weeks ago. He has played very well lately, as the Broncos saw first-hand. He picked off one pass, broke up another pass downfield, swatted down a pass at the line of scrimmage and got 10 solo tackles. MLB Jams Laurinaitis broke up a key third-down pass, crushed Manning with a blitz sack and earned seven solo tackles.Secondary: A
Rams coach Jeff Fisher noted there were a few massive breakdowns in coverage, one that led to Manning’s 42-yard TD pass to an uncovered Emmanuel Sanders in the second quarter. But the defensive backs made a number of monstrous hits, including S Rodney McLeod’s later eradication of Sanders. CB E.J. Gaines broke up two passes, S T.J. McDonald broke up three passes and CB Trumaine Johnson had two defenses and a huge interception. Allowing Manning just one TD is a cause for celebration.Special Teams: A
PK Greg Zuerlein turned back the clock to his early “Legatron” days, nailing field goals from 37, 29, 22, 55 and 53 yards to keep the Rams in control. P Johnny Hekker put four of his six punts down inside the Denver 20. Rookie Maurice Alexander made his pitch for regular work with two stellar tackles in coverage; one on a kickoff and one on a punt.Coaching: A
The Rams didn’t just upset one of the Super Bowl favorites, they punished them physically from start to finish. They earned a couple of nice victories this season, but this 22-7 triumph established the identity Fisher and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams are trying to create at Rams Park. They made a few mistakes along the way, but stayed aggressive and reasonably disciplined.znModeratorfrom off the net
===
rwillinnable
Peyton and Nationwide theme? You know those Nationwide commercials? I want to hear Peyton sing something like, “got my ass kicked by the Rams today” to the Nationwide tune.
znModeratorfrom off the net
===
LMU93
another amazing stat…Broncos 4-of-15 on 3rd and 4th downs today. That’s a great, great job by the defense…
===
znModeratorI’m glad it has but why has the defense come together now?
The starting corners have both played the past two games for the first time this season and the secondary looks like it has improved a great deal to me. The soft zone stuff seems to be gone and coverage seems to be tighter. Is that the main reason? Or, did Williams and staff ‘figure out’ how to use their personnel? Maybe the players have finally figured out Williams schemes?
IMO? They were learning a new defense with 3 things slowing that down.
1. The secondary is young. Younger units just take longer I think. You’re right that that got magnified by injuries…and if anything the replacements were even younger.
2. These old coaches now have far less time to install things in the off-season. That’s the new CBA…it limits practice time. There’s a vid on here somewhere from the week before the game where McDonald talks about all the extra meetings they had this season trying to fix things.
3. A Wms. defense is as complicated in its own way as a McDaniels offense, so that just compounds the whole thing.
So, young defenses with less time to learn a complicated system make HUGE mistakes until they learn the system. Blown coverages mean you don’t know where to be, and where you’re supposed to be will depend on variables the offense gives you. It’s like sight adjustments for young receivers.
The problem was, before, when they made the huge mistakes, they would tank. Somehow the coaches beat that out of them, because they did not come anywhere near tanking this week.
They also improved their tackling, which to me just means they’re now playing and not thinking. They just react like they’re supposed to react. Makes for a more confident player.
znModeratorWith defense rolling, Rams can beat anyone
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13744/with-defense-rolling-rams-can-beat-anyone
ST. LOUIS — Bundling up before heading into a snowy evening, St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis paused when a reporter mentioned to him that his team could have pitched a shutout against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
“Should have pitched a shutout,” Laurinaitis quickly corrected.
Indeed the Rams’ defense, perhaps playing as well as any group in the league over the past three weeks, could have held Peyton Manning and the high-octane Broncos scoreless in the Rams’ stunning 22-7 victory at the Edward Jones Dome. As it was, they held Denver to its lowest point total since Manning arrived in 2012. It was also the first time since Week 13 of 2001 that Manning had attempted 20 or more passes and his team scored seven or fewer points.
For coordinator Gregg Williams’ defense, there have been signs of reaching Max Q the past two weeks but shutting down Manning & Co. served as the ultimate notice to the rest of the league that the Rams are not a team, especially not a defense, you want to see on the schedule over the season’s final six games.
“The scheme is built so that, if everyone is on the same page, you can play really fast,” Laurinaitis said. “I think the last few weeks we have been able to just come in and play extremely fast and trust each other and know we don’t have to be perfect but let’s be aggressive. The light bulb is kind of switching on but we have got to keep that thing on, I don’t want it to run out.”
If the Rams can find a way to duplicate Sunday’s combination of scheme and execution, the light bulb should be able to burn brightly for the rest of the season.
Although the Broncos had 397 total yards, the Rams held them to 28 yards on 10 carries. Over the past two weeks, they’ve allowed just 56 rushing yards on 32 carries, which is the best two-game stretch against the run in franchise history. In making that group so one-dimensional, the Rams were able to throw a variety of tricks at Manning.
Instead of the usual two or three checks that Laurinaitis can make out of certain offensive looks, the Rams had six or seven. On defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s fourth-down sack in the fourth quarter, Laurinaitis got called out as the MIC linebacker by Broncos rookie center Will Montgomery. Laurinaitis had shown blitz but offered a subtle change at the line of scrimmage, switching the side where he lined up in an effort to create enough confusion to throw the Broncos off.
At the snap, Montgomery took the bait and end Robert Quinn peeled around the inside to Manning. Quinn was unable to bring Manning down, but Donald cleaned it up for a sack.
And the tweaks weren’t just based out of blitz looks, either. On cornerback Trumaine Johnson’s fourth-quarter interception, the Rams showed a normal Cover 3 look before the snap, something Manning had probably seen plenty of times in his tape study. But Williams had installed a different coverage from the same look earlier in the week and Manning threw down the right sideline where Johnson made an acrobatic interception.
“As long as all 11 are on the same page, we’ll be all right,” Laurinaitis said. “That’s a great job by the defensive coaching staff knowing it would come to that and the best part about Gregg Williams is he gives me the freedom to call stuff if I don’t want to check and the feeling of the play just isn’t right, we play the call. A couple of times it happened and a couple of times he checked. It was the combination of a great game plan and just executing.”
Of more importance than the yardage, the Rams held Denver to 4-of-12 on third down and 0-for-3 on fourth. They also had two interceptions, two sacks, four quarterback hits and 12 pass breakups. Of those dozen breakups, five came from Quinn and linebacker Alec Ogletree near the line of scrimmage.
Even when Manning completed a pass, a member of the Rams’ secondary was there to greet him with a crushing blow such as Rodney McLeod’s big hit (and subsequent penalty) on Denver receiver Emmanuel Sanders.
“It energizes us but, also, they know,” McDonald said. “The offense knows that you put that ball up, you’re going to feel it. I think that’s something we take pride in, being a physical defense and offenses knowing that it’s not sweet [out there].”
znModerator=============
Just think about this, if the Rams don’t blow coverage, the great Peyton Manning and boy Genius Gase are scoreless. Oh look Manning does what he does best, throws a pick=============
LOL, and Fox is clapping. What a tool=============
Manning just got outplayed by Shaun Hill. Hahaha.=============
That’s game fellas.=============
It is so damn hard to play three away games in a row…
This is a tough league, and the Rams are way better than their record, they have a great coaching staff and had a great game plan=============
Rams wanted this more, were better prepared with a coach twice as good as ours.=============
The NFC west is such a tough division, the Rams are better than their recordNovember 16, 2014 at 8:02 pm in reply to: multi-media from the Denver game (highlights, Fisher post-game, etc.) #11996znModeratorBRITT:
Get Kenny Britt’s postgame reaction to the victory over the Denver Broncos.
November 16, 2014 at 7:22 pm in reply to: Fisher, Hill, Laurinaitis, Mason, Quinn … transcripts #11994znModeratorLAURINAITIS On how the defense is performing: “The light bulb is kind of switched on”
znModeratorBest Rams win since….. ?
znModeratorNick Wagoner @nwagoner
Despite penalty against McLeod, multiple Rams made mention of how important it was to be physical with Denver receivers. Set a tone.
4:55 PMTwitterNick Wagoner @nwagoner
On coverage mixup that led to lone Broncos touchdown, it was supposed to be Jenkins responsible for staying on top of the coverage.
4:54 PMTwitterNick Wagoner @nwagoner
Fisher didn’t mention any injuries of note. We’ll see where they are in that regard later this week.Nick Wagoner @nwagoner
LB James Laurinaitis said DC Gregg Williams had “perfect” game plan for today. Will expound in my column a bit later.Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner
Rams have allowed a total of 56 rushing yards in the past two weeks. I’m told that’s the best two-week stretch in franchise history.November 16, 2014 at 6:13 pm in reply to: multi-media from the Denver game (highlights, Fisher post-game, etc.) #11986znModeratorFISHER & HILL:
St. Louis Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and quarterback Shaun Hill shed some light on the teams 22-7 defeat of the Denver Broncos.
znModeratorRams shock Manning, Broncos 22-7
BY JIM THOMAS
The Rams defense has arrived — better late than never. Quarterback Shaun Hill finally got a chance to show what he could do. Again, better late than never.
And with help from linebacker Alex Ogletree, running back Tre Mason, and wide receiver Kenny Britt, the Rams pulled off their second huge upset in the past three games, defeating Denver 22-7 Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.
Hill completed 20 of 29 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. Mason gained 113 yards on 29 yards against a Denver defense that entered the game leading the league in rushing defense, allowing only 67 yards a game. Britt had 100 yards receiving before halftime, scoring the Rams’ only TD of the day.
And let’s not forget Greg Zuerlein, who kicked five field goals — including two of 50 yards-plus.
The Broncos, in first place in the AFC West, fell to 7-3. The Rams, last in the NFC West, improved to 4-6.
Things couldn’t have started better for Hill, returning to the starting lineup for the first time since the season opener Sept. 7 against Minnesota.
On the third play from scrimmage, Hill hit Britt deep for a 33-yard gain to the Denver 40. Britt beat Aqib Talib on the play, and had enough separation that it might have been a touchdown had Hill not thrown the ball a little behind Britt. The Rams made it all the way to the Denver 14, when a Von Miller sack on third-and-4 forced a Zuerlein field goal.
The Rams made it 10-0 late in the first quarter when Hill once again connected with Britt on a deep post for a 63-yard touchdown. Britt got behind Bradley Roby on the play for his third TD of the season.
So it was 10-0 Rams with 1:18 to play in the first quarter. The several thousand Broncos fans in attendance, all wearing Denver orange, were in a little bit of a shock. The score grew to 13-0 on another Zuerlein field goal with 4:48 left in the half.
The Rams missed another chance to put seven on the board, advancing as far as the Denver 10-yard line. But on third-and-3, Hill’s pass was deflected . . . back into his arms. But Hill only made it back to the line of scrimmage after his “reception” so out trotted Zeuerlein to make it 13-0 Rams with his 29-yard field goal.
But what would a Rams game be without a busted coverage. With just 2:22 left in the half, Peyton Manning hit a wide-open Emmanuel Sanders for a 42-yard TD. Afterwards, Jenkins and a couple of his teammates in the secondary were gesturing back and forth in the familiar: “I thought you had him. No, I thought you had him” pose.
So it was 13-7 and you had to wonder if settling for field goals instead of scoring TDs would come back to haunt the Rams in the second half.
Save for that busted coverage, the Rams did as well as could be expected trying to defend Manning. They changed fronts, mixed coverages, and pressured him on several occasions. Something not seen that often by the Rams this season, a blitz by James Laurinaitis, forced a few rushed throws by Manning.
Rams linebackers and defensive backs jumped shorter routes quickly, breaking up several throws.
Most of the third quarter was a field position game with the Rams and Broncos exchanging punts. But the Rams got a break on one of those Denver punts when Broncos tackler Lamin Barrow used a horse-collar tackle to bring down Tavon Austin. As a result they took over on their 48.
Mason’s second-longest run of the season — 27 yards — put the Rams in field goal range. Once again, they advanced to the red zone, this time reaching the 4. But once again, St. Louis settled for a Zuerlein field goal. It did, however, make it a two-score game at 16-7 Rams.
On the next series for Manning and Co., Rams linebacker Alex Ogletree undercut a pass intended for tight end Jacob Tamme over the middle for his second interception in as many weeks. The Rams got only one first down out of that possession but it was enough for Zuerlein, who kicked his fourth field goal of the game and his second-longest of the season from 55 yards.
So the Rams were up 19-7, meaning Denver needed two TDs to catch the Rams early in the fourth quarter. Zuerlein wasn’t done kicking. After a leaping interception by Trumaine Johnson after Manning threw into double coverage, the Rams took over at the Denver 41 with just 5:23 left to play.
The Rams gained only six yards on the possession, but again it was enough for Zuerlein, who kicked a 53-yarder for a 22-7 lead with 4:44 to play. Now it would take two TDs and a two-point conversion by Manning just to tie.
But it didn’t happen. Manning’s fourth-and-1 pass with 2:27 to play from the St. Louis 41 was batted down by Ogletree. And the Rams had posted another upset.
znModeratoryeah he did play well, so far so good
znModeratorI think we’re seeing what’s possible from the D. Things look like they’re finally clicking. With some consistent offense, this team could be really fun to watch the rest of the season
Yes, nailed it there Dak IMO
znModeratorI can’t remember when I enjoyed a Rams game so much.
Very solid football.
Rams D was everything I wanted them to be.
Hill was fantastic. Well managed.
Game balls all around.
That was fun!
Pie and cake for everyone.
And that’s official.
znModeratorwell apparently, the new staff has settled him down.
My complaint is his awful behavior…he really hasn’t been a team player…maybe now he’s doing things the right way
znModeratorRams set to combat Manning’s wizardry
By Jim Thomas
New Rams safety Mark Barron has faced Peyton Manning only once, two years ago as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.
It wasn’t the most monstrous of Manning performances: three touchdown passes, 242 yards in a 31-23 Denver victory. Even so, in the minds of Barron and his teammates, it was as if Manning knew every call by the Tampa defense. It’s like he knew what was coming.
“We came away from the game thinking he had cheated or something, the way he was calling it out,” Barron said. “Seriously. He’s a smart guy, man. He knows the game.”
Prof. Manning brings his act to St. Louis — along with the rest of the Denver Broncos — for a noon kickoff Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. Of course, the show comes complete with all the gestures, gyrations and verbal signals that have become part and parcel of Manning’s game over these many years.
“Omaha! Omaha!”
“I did hear ‘Omaha,’” Barron said of that 2012 game. “He’s been doing that for years. He has a lot of terminology that he uses. It’s like he really has his own language.”
But is it real? Or fake?
“You don’t really know,” Barron said. “You don’t know if something he’s saying is actually real or if it’s a dummy call.”
Since Manning won’t be supplying decoder rings Sunday, it’s up to the Rams to figure that all out. Or … just ignore it.
“You try not to think about that at all,” linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. “I think he has way too many code words.”
Nothing personal Peyton, but Dunbar doesn’t plan on listening.
“You don’t want to play that cat-and-mouse game with him,” Dunbar said.
Defensive tackle Kendall Langford agrees.
“It’s crowd noise,” Langford. “You can’t get caught up in listening to that because it’ll slow you down. Just go out there and play your game. Do your job. Do your 1/11th, and hopefully we can get it done.”
Teams have tried just about everything in an effort to slow Manning down over the years. Blitzing like crazy. Dropping eight men in coverage. Distracting him with circus clowns. Not much seems to work, unless you have Seattle’s defensive personnel or Bill Belichick’s brain.
Make no mistake, the Rams have studied those tapes, looking to beg, borrow or steal anything they can to slow Manning.
But even for a defensive coordinator as creative as Gregg Williams, you don’t reinvent the wheel 10 games into the season. Especially when you’re facing Manning.
“Really, you don’t change a lot of things you’re doing,” Williams said. “When people start doing that type of stuff is when big accidents happen. We’ve just got to be who we are. We’ve got to be a lot more focused in a couple of situations, in a couple of formations, that they’ll present.”
So at its most basic level, the Rams will try to change looks as much as possible in an effort to keep Manning from zeroing in on what they’re doing — or decipher any pattern to what they’re doing.
Hard as it may seem, if they can take away Manning’s first read, that might give the Rams’ pass-rush — which has been coming on lately — an extra split-second to get in Manning’s face.
Manning doesn’t like getting hit. He has been known to get angry at his blockers when that happens. But he doesn’t get hit much, in large part because he almost always knows where he’s going with the ball and gets the ball out so quickly.
And of course, give the Broncos’ offensive line, re-shuffled as it has been lately, a healthy share of the credit. Manning has been sacked only nine times, a league low, and has been hit only 24 times this season, again a league low.
It’s that way almost every year, which has allowed him to keep upright and keep firing over his 17 NFL seasons in an amazingly consistent and productive fashion.
He enters the Dome on Sunday having thrown at least two touchdown passes in an NFL record 15 consecutive games.
He has thrown at least one TD pass in 48 straight contests, the third-longest such streak in league history.
The only player in NFL history to win five MVP awards, Manning set the NFL all-time record for career TD passes earlier this season. That mark is at 520 TD passes and counting. Should the game somehow be close in the fourth quarter, well, the 13-time Pro Bowler has led a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime 50 times.
(Yes, that’s also a league record.)
There are few head coaches this side of Belichick who know Manning as well as Rams coach Jeff Fisher. Since Manning entered the league as the No. 1 overall draft pick in 1998, Fisher faced him 19 times as head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Fisher went 6-13 in those games, with one of those victories coming in a 1999 divisional playoff game the season the Titans advanced to the Super Bowl against Dick Vermeil’s Rams. That’s a winning percentage of just .316, but it’s slightly above the career winning percentage of all opponents against Manning in the regular season: .301, on 75 wins and 174 losses.
“I’ve said this before, it’s like playing a computer,” Fisher said. “That’s what he is. He runs that offense. He’s going to put them in the best possible position. He’s nearly impossible to fool and is hard to get down.”
There were years when Fisher had his entire defense wear wristbands with numbers on them signifying various defensive calls. Not only that, Fisher had the Titans’ defense switch to different wristbands every quarter.
“We couldn’t talk (on the field) because he recognizes your terminology and your calls and things like that,” Fisher said.
So they’d play defense by numbers. Numbers that changed every quarter. If the call was ”Three!” in the second quarter, it would signal something entirely different than what ”Three!” meant in the first quarter.
Did that work?
“No,” Fisher said, laughing. “It may have for a quarter. I don’t know.”
Over the years, Fisher has tried just about every way imaginable to defend Manning.
“Yeah, and we’ve had some success,” Fisher said. “And we’re expecting to again. That’s the way you go into it.”[/quote]
znModeratorWe don’t know if his age will be an issue. We don’t know if he will be rusty. We don’t know whether we can win even if he plays better than Davis has. Hill could have a great day and not be within 15 points of Manning.
We don’t have to win the game to prove the logic of the switch to be correct. Hell, even if Hill tanks, it would still have been worth it to take the chance. Davis will NOT get it done. Hill might. I’ll take Hill.
I think that sums it up nicely.
znModeratori see them going at least 3-4 the rest of the way.
shoot. maybe even hill is named the starter again, and the rams go 4-3.
Yeah I think they have 3 or 4 wins in them. Depends on Hill.
znModeratorSo maybe, keep Bradford, keep Davis, and draft a quarterback high. And see what happens. That puts the Rams quarterback eggs in three baskets.
I am pretty sure that’s what they will do.
.
znModeratorNo one will confuse the Rams offensive live with the Hogs or anything, but I think some of that poor pass blocking efficiency can be laid at Davis’ feet. Defensive coordinators know Davis struggles against the blitz so they blitz him a lot. That leads to a lot of QB pressures. If Davis could recognize a blitz was coming and check out of the play called and/or find his hot receiver, then DC’s would be forced to dial back the blitzing a little bit. Then you would have fewer QB pressures and an o-line that’s ranked better than 30th in this regard.
Well I think all that too.
Couple of games from now…we’ll see if it’s right.
znModerator7 things to watch: Rams vs. Broncos
By Jim Thomas
HILL RETURNS
After eight games and more than two months on the bench, Shaun Hill resurfaces as the Rams’ starting QB. His timing could’ve been better considering he’ll be trying to match throws with the great Peyton Manning. Not to mention, he’ll be facing the NFL’s fifth-ranked defense. But when it comes down to it, his timing with Rams receivers will be what matters most. There will be an adjustment process, be it the way the ball comes out of Hill’s hand — as a opposed to Austin Davis — or even his cadence at the line of scrimmage. “Shaun has a different touch on the ball,” TE Lance Kendricks said. “But it still gets there the same. He’s a vet quarterback, so he’s been there before. There’s nothing wrong with having that veteran leadership in the huddle. The plays are still the same. We like Shaun. Everyone loves him here. No issues there.”
LAST DANCE IN ST. LOUIS?
Even if the Rams don’t relocate to Los Angeles, this likely will be Manning’s last appearance in the Gateway City. Under the NFL scheduling formula, the Broncos won’t play here again until 2022. He would be 46 by then. So unless he changes clubs, say farewell Sunday to one of the all-time greats. Manning has played here only twice before — both times with Indianapolis. In 2001, the Colts lost 42-17; in 2009, the Colts turned the tables with a 42-6 win.
MILLER & WARE
The Rams faced an elite pass-rushing tandem three weeks ago in KC’s Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. No disrespect intended, but Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer likes the Denver duo of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. “Since we don’t play Kansas City again this year, I’ll say Denver’s clearly better,” Schottenheimer said. Ware and Miller have 17 sacks between them this season. Miller moves around some, but will play mainly over RT Joe Barksdale.
RUSH HOUR
Tre Mason clearly has moved into feature back status in the Rams’ backfield, but the going will be tough against Denver’s run defense. The Broncos allow only 67 yards rushing per game and only 3.2 yards per carry — both league bests. The man-mountain with one of the NFL’s best nicknames, DT Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton, clogs the middle. The Broncos have allowed only 11 runs of 10 yards or more all season — yes, another league best.
RUSH HOUR II
The Broncos will be missing their leading rusher against the Rams; Ronnie Hillman has been ruled out with a foot injury. So C.J. Anderson, who had 163 yards rushing and receiving last week in Oakland, is expected to get the start. Montee Ball (Timberland High), who began the year as the starter, is set to return after missing the last five games with a groin injury. So the Broncos shouldn’t miss a beat without Hillman in the lineup.
LOTS OF RECEIVERS
With Marcus Roberson (ankle) ruled out and Lamarcus Joyner (groin) doubtful, the Rams are paper thin at corner. So this isn’t the best time to see Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Wes Welker come to town. Thomas has a current streak of six consecutive 100-yard receiving games — a franchise record. Sanders already has set a career high for single-season receiving yards (852). Welker has 867 career catches, most for an undrafted player in NFL history.
THE “OTHER” THOMAS
If only the Rams just had to worry about the Denver wideouts. At tight end, Julius Thomas has been a scoring machine, with 12 TD catches in nine games. He’s the first TE in NFL history with at least 12 TDs in back-to-back seasons, proving his breakout year of 2013 was no fluke. At 6-5 and 250 pounds, Thomas literally is a huge challenge for Rams safeties and linebackers in coverage. The only saving grace would be if Thomas gets called upon to stay in more as a blocker.
znModeratorLot of guys are down on him. I am not. I actually think that with Davis at qb, Tavon wasn’t going to get much action…but that was more Davis than Tavon. See my post above, which describes one play where Davis just flat did not see him running wide open (it was on the play that led to the 1st INT against ARZ.) I won’t make any judgements about how Tavon is doing until I see how it goes in some games with Hill.
znModeratorCosell good as usual. Good details.
znModerator
Rams-Broncos: Matchup breakdown
By Nick Wagonerhttp://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13607/rams-broncos-matchup-breakdown
EARTH CITY, Mo. — A look at three individual matchups to keep an eye on when the St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos meet this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald vs. Broncos right guard Manny Ramirez/Whoever starts at right guard
Clearly, the Broncos are unhappy with the production they are getting from the interior of their offensive line. They’ve played musical chairs over the past few weeks and even went so far this week as to bring in former Ram Richie Incognito for a workout and a visit. Denver didn’t sign Incognito but left the door open to add him later on.
Ramirez started for the Broncos against Oakland last week after spending the season at his more traditional spot at center. All of that movement isn’t good for an offensive line that will be tested by the Rams’ surging pass rush. The Rams have 17 sacks over the past four weeks (including one for Robert Quinn that the league plans to credit but hasn’t yet), most in the NFL. That production coincides nicely with the emergence of Donald as the starter at left defensive tackle.
Donald has been a terror from day one, posting three sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Rams coaches have credited him with 18 quarterback pressures and eight quarterback hits. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is the best in the world at getting the ball out quick which can help neutralize the pass rush off the edge but if nobody can slow Donald, things will get much more interesting in this one.
Rams left tackle Greg Robinson vs. Broncos right defensive end DeMarcus Ware
After watching Ware throttle Rams left tackle Jake Long in the Dallas game in 2013, many Rams fans are probably happy not to have to watch a rematch here. But that doesn’t mean that things will be any easier when it comes to blocking Ware. One of the best pass-rushers of his generation and still productive in his new home, Ware has eight sacks this season.
The reality is that when the Broncos get in a groove, coordinator Jack Del Rio will move Ware and fellow pass-rusher extraordinaire Von Miller all over the formation which means Robinson will get plenty of different looks throughout the game. But the primary matchup he’ll face is Ware. Robinson has seen some good pass-rushers in his first two starts at left tackle but none the caliber of Ware.
Robinson is still refining his understanding of angles and getting into his set. Physically, he has the ability to keep up with Ware but Ware will challenge him in ways he hasn’t been with his array of pass-rush moves and intellect.
Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins vs. Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas
Earlier this season, the Rams used Jenkins to shadow the opponent’s top wide receiver. The results of that experiment were mixed with good moments against the likes of Dallas’ Dez Bryant to go with bad ones. Jenkins has been hobbled by a knee injury of late and returned last week against Arizona. This week, he appears to be closer to full strength and should see his workload get back close to normal levels.
But the challenge awaiting Jenkins is perhaps the biggest of the season. Thomas has 1,002 receiving yards with six touchdowns, and at 6-foot-3, 229 pounds is one of the most physically impressive wideouts in the league. For whatever reason, Jenkins has always seemed to fare a bit better against bigger receivers but Thomas is also one of the best. Jenkins has a knack for staying with a top wideout for a number of plays then giving up a big one. It remains to be seen if the Rams will use Jenkins or anyone to shadow Thomas but either way, they can ill afford to allow yet another big play for a touchdown in the passing game.
znModeratorW2W4: St. Louis Rams
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/13682/w2w4-st-louis-rams-14
EARTH CITY, Mo. — The St. Louis Rams and the Denver Broncos kick off Week 11 on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS regional coverage.
Here are three things to watch from the Rams’ perspective:
1. The best defense: For as much as we’ll talk about how great Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is and how difficult of a challenge it is for the defense to slow him and the Denver offense down, the easiest way to stop Manning is to keep him on the sideline. That means establishing an offense capable of consistently moving the chains, extending drives and not turning the ball over. Sounds good, right?
Well, the Rams haven’t exactly been doing any of those things well in recent weeks. The Broncos are first in the league in run defense and not just because teams are throwing a lot by trying to catch up. They’re holding opponents to just 3.19 yards per carry, which is also first in the NFL. The Rams, meanwhile have yet to establish the running game many thought they would. They’ve finally settled on Tre Mason as the primary ballcarrier and he’s flashed promise at times but hasn’t consistently been able to generate yards.
One major key for the Rams is getting better on third down. They were 1-of-10 last week against Arizona and if they can’t keep the chains moving, that means too many chances for Manning.
2. Getting after Manning: Pressuring Manning is easier said than done because he’s one of the best ever at getting rid of the ball quickly. So far this season, Manning is getting rid of the ball after just 2.29 seconds which is second quickest in the league. That means there isn’t much time for the Rams to get after him or for their blitz-heavy packages (they lead the league in blitz percentage) to get home but if there’s going to be a way to get to Manning, it will likely have to be up the middle.
Denver’s offensive line has been in flux the past few weeks, particularly on the interior. That could mean some opportunities for the Rams defensive tackles, especially rookie Aaron Donald. Donald has consistently terrorized quarterbacks in his first nine games and would seem to have an advantage against the musical chairs in the middle.
To slow Manning and the Broncos offense, the Rams will have to do enough in coverage to force him to go to his second or third read and hope that buys them enough time to get in the backfield.
3. Turning to Hill: With veteran Shaun Hill back in the saddle at quarterback, the Rams are hoping that they can cut down on the costly turnovers and mistakes that have plagued them over the past few weeks. Removing Austin Davis from the starting lineup was done mostly because of his propensity for turnovers (six that turned into defensive touchdowns, including five in the fourth quarter).
Hill is in his 14th NFL season and has plenty of experience which should allow him to manage the game. The Rams won’t put the game in Hill’s hands but his primary job will be not to lose it. As always, it’s worth watching the turnover battle but if Hill does give it up, when and where it happens is also something to keep an eye on.
znModeratorWaterfield, and company, I think this may be a “public house” forum thread. That’s not a big deal…but I will probably move it, just not in any “big rush, rules come first” kinda way.
znModeratorNothing I say here is admonishing or judgemental. I am just trying to analyze a dynamic, to the best of my ability to do that. It’s all intended to be simply rational and neutral. And, I give you enormous credit for asking, and bringing something into the light of discussion.
So. My main point is that racial issues don’t break down into simple symmetries. In fact language doesn’t work that way–it’s not a series of abstractions. Meaning is heavily dependent on context.
For example, if someone said, “I am proud of my african-american heritage” it means certain things. And it is set against a certain background–where black men and women were supposed to think of themselves as lower on the scale of human value. To be proud of your heritage therefore means you are taking something back from history and setting it right. “I was supposed to be ashamed of my heritage in the past but screw that, I assert pride. I take my heritage back as a proud thing.”
It is NOT a symmetrical statement to say “I am proud of my white heritage.” That’s just not the same thing. For one thing, like it or not, the term “white heritage” refers to ideas of white supremacy. And in fact the people who say that? That’s precisely what they mean. There are people who say “I am proud of my Engish heritage” (or French or Ukrainian) and that is much more neutral a thing to say.
So, whenever african-american qbs are discussed, there’s the Warren Moon problem–there’s a history there of saying that in fact african-americans couldn’t be quarterbacks, they didn’t have the mental skills.
So like it or not, saying “xyx is a black Bradshaw” is still more loaded because it draws attention to race, in a way that reminds people that previously, african-americans were not given the chance to play qb same as whites, mostly because of prejudices. So there, there’s a history of divisions between “quarterbacks” and “BLACK quarterbacks,” where “black” can’t help but sound like a qualification. It marks a difference. In the history of the term “black quarterback” it quite often meant “not really just a quarterback.”
So putting it that way means drawing attention to race in a way you don’t have to, and undoubtedly don’t mean to, because your statement — to others — is seen in a context where racial issues have a way of being loaded.
So for example why not just say “Winston has vision as good as Montana.”
Meanwhile, as I said these things are NOT symmetrical. Because, interestingly, saying “Manziel is a white Russel Wilson” (which is ridiculous but it’s just an example) does not draw attention to the exclusion of whites from being quarterbacks since that didn’t happen. It also sets Wilson up as a standard, which erases the old “blacks can’t play qb” history.
Now is it RACIST to say what you said?
Not according to my definition of racist.
Is it unwise to say it your way? IMO yes…because it exposes the fact that you think language is symmetrical when it comes to issues of race. But, it flat isn’t symmetrical. And you know who automatically KNOWS it isn’t? The vast majority of african-americans.
znModeratorHow are gifs widely available? Explain. Maybe I am just uninformed about this. I thought that whenever we saw gifs of a plays in a post, the poster made them, just like with screen caps.
-
AuthorPosts
