SB Nation - Brandon Gibson

Flu-like symptoms sideline Jackson and three others

VanRam — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:01:33 -0000

Uh oh. The swine flu epidemic has exacted a costly toll on the St. Louis Rams, as if missing practice weren't enough. Today, RB Steven Jackson sat out with the dreaded flu-like symptoms. Brandon Gibson, Kyle Boller and Darrell Scott missed practice with flu-like symptoms too. Boller missed Wednesday's practice with those flu-like symptoms, so he might be closer to recovery than the others, depending on when they came down with whatever it is they came down with.

It's important to note that none of those guys mentioned above have confirmed cases of H1N1. However, it's not a huge leap to assume that given the outbreak in the locker room that forced practice to be cancelled yesterday. If Jackson does indeed have H1N1 his status for this week's game is very questionable given the recovery time. It's probably just as well to give his back and legs a rest anyway.

Rams vs Titans: Compare and Contrast

VanRam — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:18:17 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

Offensive foundation, Chris Johnson

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It doesn't seem like it was all that long ago, when you looked at week 14 on the St. Louis Rams schedule and thought they could very well get a win against an equally hard-luck Titans team. Not anymore. The Rams are now 13-point underdogs for their trip to Music City.

The Titans are now playing for a trip to the playoffs, after starting out 0-6. That sixth week of the season featured the Rams overtime loss to the Jaguars and the Titans getting shut out by the Patriots who scored 59 points (running up the score? stay classy Bill). My how things have changed. There are some parallels in the stories of the Rams and Titans this season, maybe a lesson or two even.

The Centerpiece

Like the Rams, Tennessee has a running back at the center of their offense. Chris Johnson has been collecting ridiculous amounts of yardage. The last time he had fewer than 100 yards on the ground was week five against the Colts, when he had just 34 yards on 9 carries. Steven Jackson, the centerpiece of the Rams offense, has been trying his best to carry the team, but has only been able to do so much for a team unable to make much else happen around him.

Quarterback

The Titans started the season with Kerry Collins at QB. Collins, after all, was at the helm last season when the Titans had a 13-3 season. One more season was more than the 36-year old Collins had left. Through six games he completed just 54.8 percent of his passes and a 5/8 TD to INT ratio. A 2-for-12 performance against the Patriots sealed his fate, and Vince Young replaced him on the last three drives of that game. The Rams started the season with an older QB carrying the signs of abuse much more prominently than many of us had expected. Eventually, a younger backup QB took over, but the similarities end there.

Going Young

The Rams had Kyle Boller, the Titans had Vince Young ready to take over QB duties. Boller has entered the backup QB stage of his career and has quickly reminded everyone why after a few games. Young still had some potential after struggling in his first two seasons and holding the clipboard for Collins last year. One thing the Titans have done to help Young, besides feed Chris Johnson the ball, has been their re-writing of the offensive script.

The Playbook

Rams fans are continually frsutrated by the logic-defying playcalling coming from the sidelines. It's not the Rams offense has been pass averse, rather the offense has done little more than dink and dump passes that ultimately go nowhere and make things easier for opposing defenses. Just a few more play actions, is that too much to ask? In Tennessee things have been different. The coaching staff there has smartly written a game plan around Chris Johnson and taking advantage of Young's strengths as a QB making lots of option calls and keeping defenses confused. The Rams have done nothing similar to take advantage of Steven Jackson's considerable gifts and their quarterback's lack fo gifts. Of course part of the problem has to do with the receiving options on each team.

Talent

Kenny Britt, the Titans first round pick out of Rutgers, has proven to be good get for the Titans. He runs routes well and overcame the pre-draft questions about his concentration, etc and works the middle. Behind him they have Nate Washington, who's been servicable as a role player. They've also used TEs Bo Scaife and Alge Crumpler with some effectiveness. The Rams just don't have much going for them at WR. Laurent Robinson was establishing himself as a solid possession guy before he got hurt. Keenan Burton was improving in a similar role when he got hurt. Brandon Gibson looked like he might be that guy, but he's fallen off considerably after his impressive debut against the Saints. Add to that the situation at QB for the Rams.

Join us tonight for some Turf Show Radio, 7:30 p.m. Central.

Tate declares for draft, Warren leaning that way: Will the Rams take notice?

VanRam — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:53:12 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Are those tree trunks or legs?

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Start getting your draft boards ready, the juniors are starting to declare. The latest player into the mix is Notre Dame WR Golden Tate. With the St. Louis Rams looking for help at WR, every name that gets thrown into the draft mix is worth mentioning at least.

Is Tate a pick in the top two rounds? That remains to be seen with the combine and other offseason activities adding much to the mix for lots of players. His numbers at ND certainly speak highly of him and the connection he had with QB Jimmy Clausen, a player sure to be in consideration for the QB starved Rams. Reading the Tate story at Mocking the Draft (linked above) one comment stood out to me:

Where Tate is the most dangerous, however, is after the catch. With legs like a running back, Tate breaks his share of tackles and can make just about any defender miss in the open field.

That's something the Rams really lack with their current group of receivers, though Brandon Gibson has shown some ability to pick up yards after the catch. It's something the West Coast offensive system is predicated on too. Now, does that make Tate the best possibility for the Rams at WR? We'll see.

Another player mentioned yesterday at Mocking the Draft that caught my attention it Michigan CB Donovan Warren, who played coy about his draft status but did indicate he leaned toward coming out. Why is Warren a name for Rams fans to keep their eyes on? Because he plays much like the Rams third round pick from last season Bradley Fletcher...or Fletcher Bradley as he's known at the Post-Dispatch. Warren's game is jamming receivers and playing a physical brand of man coverage, the kind that the Rams use. Fletcher is supposedly coming back next season, but we could still use another physical corner to add to the mix. He could be a 2nd or 3rd round pick.

Musical Secondary: Bears Switch Afalava, Payne, and Manning

Dane Noble — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:43:04 -0000

More photos » by Ed Reinke - AP

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In what is becoming a recurring theme for the Chicago Bears, head coach Lovie Smith is shuffling around the defensive secondary in preparation for Sunday's game versus the Rams.

According to a league source, rookie Al Afalava is being switched to free safety on Sunday, whileKevin Payne is being inserted into the starting lineup at strong safety.

As the Chicago Sun-Times first reported, Danieal Manning is being moved back exclusively to nickel. The shift should allow Manning to focus on covering St. Louis rookie receiver Brandon Gibson in the slot. The Rams opened up with a three-receiver set last Sunday versus Seattle.

At this point in the season, especially with the way our secondary has been lit up by opposing offenses, I suppose it doesn't really make a difference. The secondary was an issue last season, and not much has changed this year. Afalava has been somewhat of a bright spot, but he has also played like a rookie at times, being out of position on some plays and getting beat in routes on others. We'll see how this looks on Sunday.

Jackson, Boller and the Seahawks

VanRam — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:14:08 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Boller starts at QB for the Rams this week.

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While you're waiting and wondering if Kyle Boller's play action bootleg can get the St. Louis Rams another win, there's some injury news we've got to talk about this morning.

Obviously, there's the Bulger situation. As much as we all were ready to see Bulger move on to other pursuits, the thought of Boller under center doesn't have anyone too excited. More on that later. What ought to concern Rams fans more than anything is Steven Jackson lower back.

The Rams have placed undue weight on SJ's shoulders this season, asking him to carry a mostly futile offense save for him. Jackson has a lower back sprain, something that injury guru Will Carroll says "could affect his workload." Seattle's no great shakes on defense without Tatupu, but they have been somewhat effective against starting running backs. The last rusher to gain more than 100 yards against the Seahawks was Frank Gore in week two. However, teams are running enough to set up their passing game, which has spelled certain doom for the Seahawks lately. Last week, the Vikings ran for a total of 157 yards on 37 carries, and the week before, the Cardinals ran for a total of 152 yards on 26 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns.

So maybe, they don't have to use Jackson excessively. Of course, if they don't, that puts more onus on Boller and the receivers. It's a favorable matchup for a passing game, but how favorable a matchup is it for the Rams passing game?

Personally, I don't think we lose anything with Boller in for the injured Bulger. Bulger has been too inconsistent - mostly he's played poorly - to be relied upon from week to week. Sure, he gives you the best chance to win, when he's on his game, but when was that going to be?

As for Boller, am I excited about him starting? No, but this is a rebuilding team without a clearly anointed QB of the future, who would otherwise step in this week and give us a glimpse of hope. Like I said above, the difference between having Boller or Bulger starting this year is negligible. The receiver picture should at least be a little more settle for Boller this time around. Danny Amendola has had some time in the system. Donnie Avery is playing much better than he was the last time Boller started, and Brandon Gibson could be a reliable possession guy for Boller. Then of course, there's Fells in the mix at TE. The offensive line is playing much better now too. Hopefully, the players sense the opportunity and play their best football, making life easier on the QB.

What has been working for the Rams on offense lately is opening the field with deeper passes, getting the ball to guys somewhere past five yards. Boller loses something in his accuracy the further he throws, but he's not completely incompetent in that department. Pat Shurmur will have to trust the guy a little more, fighting the urge to draw inward and be more conservative with the playcalling.

Rams 13, Cardinals 21: Trouble on the home front

VanRam — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:22:17 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Curry - AP

Marc Bulger ended the game injured.

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Just in case you thought the 2009 St. Louis Rams had disappeared somewhere between the win at Detroit and the oh-so-close game against New Orleans, fear not; the 2009 Rams are back. That's right, the struggling offense, the leaky defensive line...it was all there.

Ok, ok, that's a little harsh. The Rams tightened up after a sloppy first half, one in which they gained just 97 yards of offense. Give the Cardinals defense credit too. They bottled up Steven Jackson and kept the passing game in check.

Injuries

Jason Smith took a blow to the head. We'll know more later.
Marc Bulger has a hamstring and/or groin issue and will have testing done.

The Frustrating

Brandon Gibson's splash debut wasn't followed up well. He struggled with routes and dropped a BIG pass late in the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, the rookie did flash some hints of what got us so excited about him last week. I'd still caution you before anointing him the second coming of Isaac Bruce.
Bulger was not the forceful presence for four quarters like he was last week. He had his moments, but did he really show you anything that gives you confidence in him moving forward? He's not good enough to win games anymore.
Why do the coaches insist on trotting out Samkon Gado in short yardage situations? The play calling is still fishy. Why did Jackson not get the ball when the Rams were driving in the last five minutes of the game? It's baffling. How can anyone put this much faith in Marc Bulger and role player WRs? Maybe they wanted to try another 4th down fade to Avery. And why so few passes to Jackson? Why are they not lining up SJ39 at receiver more often?
Terrible officiating. Did they not remember that they could call pass interference? And how do you get unsportsmanlike for a hit after the pass when the lineman's back is to the QB?
Talent on the defensive line is so desperately needed. Are they so bad that they need to drop Leonard Little into coverage?
Oh, offensive line...after all the nice things we've said about you.
Justin King covering Larry Fitzgerald. Tough break kid. Still, the secondary could have done much worse.
With the exception of Steven Jackson, the Rams offense is terrible. What was the number? Averaging 9+ yards on third downs? Blame whoever you want, but it's a multi-faceted effort at failure. The WRs have some promise, but it's clear why they were not first round draft picks. The QB is too dependent on a guy to get in his route precisely, and he just doesn't have much left in the tank. That takes away from the most effective weapon, Jackson, because teams can focus on him, like AZ did today.

The Better

Steven Jackson is amazing. It looked like rough going for the big man, but he still managed to get 116 yards and 4.8 per carry. The offensive line didn't help much in the first half, and he had trouble getting it going. Once he hit his stride, there was no looking back...until the coaches stopped feeding him the ball. Jackson now has five 1,000 yard seasons and four consecutive games of 100 yards or more rushing.
James Laurinaitis, though the Cardinals tried and succeeded at isolating him a few a times, he still had a nice game, as the defense stepped up against the Cardinals run in the second half.
Chris Long got another sack, and generall played better lately. I think that if the Rams add some talent on the defensive line, we won't be talking about whether or not he's a bust.
The comeback. Rams Gab said it best that the score should not have been this close with the Rams playing as bad as they were. But it was that close. The defense got Warner out of the game and pulled together to stop the bleeding they were taking from the Cardinals' running game. They also forced the turnovers that would have given a team with a semi-competent offense the chance to put it away. Credit the coaches. Whatever they're selling has sunk in on that side of the ball. If this team had a halfway decent d-line, they'd be stealing games.

Post Game Reaction: Warner Out Second Half, Arizona Cardinals Still Win 21-13

Andrew602 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:49:28 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

Tim Hightower runs down the field for 50 yards early in the game. It's obvious that he wants to remain the starting running back.

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Today's game was a flip flop performance by the Cardinals offense. That could also be blamed on the fact that the Cardinals pro bowl quarterback Kurt Warner didn't play the second half of the game. The game began with a Beanie Wells fumble, and the Rams taking advantage of the turnover with a field goal. The offense took a couple drives to get going as they always seem to do, but once they were firing on all cylinders, they jumped out to a 21-3 lead, by running and passing the ball successfully. After Kurt Warner was knocked down halfway through the 2nd quarter, he was able to finish the scoring drive, but didn't return in the game after that. Matt Leinart finished the game, and there was an immediate drop-off on offense. The Cardinals didn't score for the remainder of the game, but the defense came through to hold off the Rams upset. Let's take a look at the positives and negatives.

The Positives

- The running game was also outstanding for a third week in a row. The Cardinals ran for 183 yards, their highest of the season. 50 of the rushing yards came on a big run by Tim Hightower, in which he broke through the line of scrimmage and ran into Rams territory. The Cardinals ability to run has dramatically made this offense better.

- Kurt Warner was spot on once again, making that three games in a row that he hasn't thrown an interception. He's also been considerably better on the road this season. Let's hope that he's only suffering from a mild concussion and that his return next week is probable.

- The Cardinals defense was solid despite the Rams getting more opportunities in the second half. The inability of the Cardinals to drain any time off the clock, allowed the Rams offense to get more scoring chances. The Rams also had 4, 4th down attempts, converting 3 of them. Despite all of this, the Cardinals defense made the stops when they needed to.

- The Seahawks and the 49ers both lost today, making the Cardinals lead above the 49ers 3 games.

The Negatives

- Matt Leinart wasn't able to heat up as the game went on. It's certainly justified for him to be rusty once he comes into the game, but for Leinart to have trouble throwing the ball down field in the fourth quarter is unacceptable. Once Leinart came into the game, the offense sputtered, and is the primary reason the Rams had a chance at tying the game. The Cardinals should hope that Warner is ready to play by next week, otherwise we may see another poor offensive performance.

- Beanie Wells fumbled on the Cardinals first drive of the game, allowing the Rams to score a field goal. Wells has had issues holding on to the ball this year. The run was a shovel pass that Beanie wasn't able to hold on to. This issue has essentially kept Wells from taking over the starting job.

- Michael Adams isn't a starter, but he had a tough game today despite covering a young receiver in Brandon Gibson. Adams was also flagged for a holding call that gave the Rams a first down.

- The Cardinals had 6 penalties, a number that lowered from last week but still hurt them at times in the game. They also turned the ball over two times - both were fumbles on offense.

Thoughts

Overall it's not hard to be mad at the offense for not putting up any points in the second half. After all, Warner understands how to run the offense and Leinart did not look comfortable in the pocket. Other then that, the defense played well under pressure and the running game was dominant agian. What are your thoughts on the game?

Random Ramsdom 11/21: Catching up on Saturday's Rams news

VanRam — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:04:50 -0000

Happy Saturday everyone. It's the second to last week of the college football regular season, so that means you've got work to do scouting the the future of the St. Louis Rams. Don't forget to download 3k's college watch list.

In the meantime, we've got some newsy links to get to, for your Saturday edition of Random Ramsdom.

Little facing old friend this week - Leonard Little is not going to let his friendship with Kurt Warner get in the way of a good sack.

Reconsidering Marc Bulger - Sando wonders if Bulger wouldn't be useful for the Rams to keep around in 2010 if the QB can play well down the stretch, allowing the Rams to use their first round pick on someone besides a QB. I suspect this is an argument we'll be hearing until next April.

Victor Adeyanju back in the fold - An important role player in recent seasons, Adeyanju will get plenty of reps this week with a banged up D-line.

Gibson a starter? - Without actually confirming it, Spagnuolo made it look as though WR Brandon Gibson will start this week. Who else do the Rams have at this point?

Rams C Jason Brown chatted with fans yesterday - See what the big man had to say.

Jackson's on a blistering pace; Chris Long is questionable - No surprise on Jackson. If Chris Long is out or limited this week, the Rams could really have some trouble on the D-line. If any of the others get injured, it'll be a tough afternoon.

Rams buy remaining tickets, avoid blackout - Not a bad move. Remember, the Rams TB ratings have improved steadily this season, with the Detroit and New Orleans games getting some good numbers. If they can play well this week, it'll go along way toward goosing their ratings for the season and building the fan base. Having Kurt Warner in town never hurts either.

St. Louis Rams fantasy report, week 11, Rams vs. Arizona

VanRam — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:20:49 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

Can Donnie Avery give fantasy owners something to dance about?

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One win and a near upset of the undefeated New Orleans Saints and all of the sudden the St. Louis Rams aren't so easy for fantasy players to ignore. The team still lacks reliable, every week fantasy players outside of RB Steven Jackson. At this point, guys like Donnie Avery, Brandon Gibson and Daniel Fells offer respectable, sneaky bye week options. This week's game against the Arizona Cardinals will go a long way toward answering whether or not those players could move beyond bye week fill-ins to guys worthy of keeping on your roster. The first question we need to ask is whether or not we are seeing real progress from the Rams offense? Three things indicate that the answer is yes.

The offensive line is playing well. Signing C Jason Brown and drafting Jason Smith represented a major investment for the team and provided the basis for the rebuilding project as Spagnuolo builds from the foundation up. Smith is anchoring the right side of the line, overcoming any preseason questions about his adjustment to the three-point stance. The Rams favor the middle and right side for their running game, and Jackson continues to rack up more and more yards thanks to the entire offensive line functioning well as a unit.
Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is finally opening the play book. Besides a stellar job in run blocking, the OL is giving Marc Bulger time in the pocket, and the passing game is now throwing the ball downfield to Donnie Avery, forcing defenses to respect his speed and ability to get behind safeties.
The WR situation may be resolved. Maybe. Last week, Bradon Gibson, acquired from Philly in the Will Witherspoon trade, made a real impression, pressed into service for the injured Keenan Burton. One week wonder or not? It's hard to say, but against the Saints Gibson showed great hands and the athleticism to get yards after the catch, exactly what the Rams have been missing from the wide receivers this season. If he's the real deal, the Rams might have an effective enough passing game to score some points.

Obviously, Steven Jackson is a must start this week or any week. The Cardinals gave up 123 yards to Justin Forsett against the Seahawks last week. In week 8, DeAngelo Williams picked up 158 yards.

Donnie Avery looks like a good player to start this week too. The Cardinals allow 253.4 yards passing on average, and have allowed the fourth most, 32, passing plays of 20 yards or more.

Brandon Gibson is a risky start because he's still relatively unknown. If he has another good week, definitely grab him off the waiver wire.

Fun with numbers: Marc Bulger, week 10

VanRam — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:44:46 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Geez, what do you guys want from me!?!?

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Poor Marc Bulger. The embattled St. Louis Rams starting quarterback muscled through his best game of the year last week, nearly upsetting the undefeated New Orleans Saints. For some, that just wasn't enough.

Football Outsiders runs down the week's individual performances in their "Quick Reads" column, and for once Bulger's numbers stood out as above average. His total DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) was 124 yards, meaning he waas worth 124 more yards than a scrub off the bench. That was good enough for 7th best for week 10. His Pass DYAR was 120 yards, and his rush DYAR was 5 yards. That wasn't good enough for FO, who said:

If this was the best Marc Bulger had left, well, it's good, but not good enough. His conversion on fourth down to Brandon Gibson to extend the game with 1:21 left nearly ended it; he saw an open receiver and promptly hit him in the shoelaces. Converting four of the 12 third downs he faced wasn't particularly impressive, especially considering the good situations he was being placed in by the effective running of Steven Jackson -- on those third downs, he had an average of 7.2 yards to go. That leaves a fair amount of makable ones that weren't, especially considering that one of the plays he converted was his 29-yard touchdown pass to Donnie Avery on third-and-15.

Ouch. I can't pin the loss on Bulger, but I can't excuse him totall either. A game that close could have been decided by any one play, and ugly dropped balls from McMichael and Amendola get make great targets to point you inger at too. However, it is clear that Bulger's skill set is fading, reflected in diminished accuracy and some questionable decision making, i.e. the mid-field check downs on the two minute drill. Yes, I wonder what he might have been able to do with just another better-than-competent WR to throw to. More and more it looks like his best course for the future is a backup on a well-stocked team.