SB Nation User Blog: kevinramsfan

Random Ramsdom, Lunchtime Edition 11/11

kevinramsfan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:30:23 -0000

As Van said earlier, I'm sure I speak for all of us here at TST when I say good luck to 3K. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Time for some links...

Help our military relax and catch a Rams game with your help. This weekend, the Rams are donating one ticket to the military for every one sold to the public. Love this.
The Rams promote LB Dominic Douglas to the 53-man roster. CB Marcus Brown who visited earlier this week was signed to fill Douglas' spot on the practice squad.
Jim Thomas on the improving special teams under coach Tom McMahon.
Mike Sando with his Midseason Report on the Rams. Good stuff. Midseason reports for the 49ers, Seahawks and Cardinals are also up on his blog.
The Rams are -13.5 at home against the Saints this weekend. If you watched ESPN's 30 for 30 last night on Jimmy the Greek, you know that he loved the underdog. I'm just sayin'.
Steve Korte offers a look at the beginning to the second half, starting with the high flying Saints.

Have a good rest of the day. GO RAMS!

Random Ramsdom, 11/4

kevinramsfan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:32:34 -0000

This might be the best bye week ever. We get to enjoy the first of many Rams wins in the Spagnuolo era for two weeks. And last I checked, the Rams won't be losing this week, either. On a personal note, I'm glad they picked Sunday to win. The night before, my football spirits were in the dumps as I was on Rocky Top witnessing my school on the wrong end of a good ole' fashion beat down in the steady rain and cold. God those uniforms were hideous. On to the links...

Broken by ram_rod yesterday, the Rams did some roster shuffling, cutting Tim Carter. Carter had to go and we're thin at corner. He's gotten some important targets in the red zone this year and did nothing with them.
James Laurinaitis gets some love in the Jeremy Green's Rookie Watch.
Steven Jackson will not tolerate your insolence! (Or in this case, the Lion's)
An injury report from the AP regarding Danny Amendola and Jacob Bell. Let's hope these two get back soon. Amendola has been a find this year and I really admire the passion he plays with.
Sean over at SBN's own Pride of Detroit has a drive-by-drive breakdown of the Rams' first win.
Interesting, if not exhausting, debate about the QB situation at the PD. VanRam wrote about Bulger yesterday and I agree he's just not the solution anymore, although its hard to argue with the decision to bring him back.
I'd much rather hear Steve Korte talk about Steven Jackson's will to win that overcomes everything. Including 17-game losing streaks. I've said it here before, we must build around him. His performance Sunday was borderline inspirational, and the Rams can be great (yes, I said great) if we make him the centerpiece of the team like we did against the Lions.
The line is even for Rams against Bye this week. Should be a push, they're pretty evenly matched.

In all seriousness, enjoy your Wednesday. And as always, GO RAMS.

Random Ramsdom, 10/28

kevinramsfan — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:03:11 -0000

Tough sledding for Rams fans these days. I'll do my best to find some bright spots.

With a pretty good individual season so far (minus the scores) Steven Jackson keeps his composure. I have to hand it to this guy, he's trying very hard to be a team player. He must realize how good he could be behind a good run-blocking line, but isn't complaining or blaming anyone else. Jackson is a player we must build around before his time runs out. He has the potential to be an elite running back in this league and I hope Devaney and company make a commitment to do so. If they don't, in my opinion it will be a long time before the Rams get a running back similar to his caliber again.
The Rams have signed a new long snapper to replace Chris Massey, now on IR. Ryan Neill will take over the job that Massey has had since we drafted him out of Marshall in 2002. If there is such a thing as an underrated long snapper, I think Massey is it. It's hard to find stats to back up a claim on any long snapper, but to my knowledge he hasn't missed a game in eight years and as far back as I can remember, I can't remember him costing us points because of a bad snap. Point blank, if you don't do you job you cost your team points, possibly a win. Just ask Trey Junkin.
Gordo on how, despite the results, the Rams have maintained a professional attitude. This is something that keeps me believing in what Spags has going on at Rams park. The talent might not be there, but I'd at least rather have players that don't give up. At least we no longer have to put up with the Claude Terrell's and Damione Lewis's of the world.
Nick from the Bleacher Report has, shall we say, an interesting take on how he would remodel the Rams if he were to buy the team. I'll let the comments sort this one out.
With your Wednesday line update, at least one casino as the Lions at -4 for Sunday's matchup. Might be the least amount of points we've been underdogs by, if you're looking hard for some bright spots.

Keep the faith! GO RAMS

Random Ramsdom 10/21

kevinramsfan — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:00:16 -0000

Mike Sando's take on the Witherspoon trade. I have to say when I first heard about the move I was a little upset. But after reading his rationalization, I feel better about it. Needless to say that the two positions involved in the trade (OLB and WR) are positions that need to be addressed this offseason.
Familiar training camp face OT Phil Trautwein was signed to the 53-man roster after being cut by the Browns. To make room, the Rams cut WR Nate Jones.
Bryan Burwell says despite the Witherspoon trade, the Rams haven't yet bailed on the season.
Early Sports Illustrated 2010 Mock Draft has the Rams taking Sam Bradford #1 overall. Yeah, I went there.
The line opens up today at Indy -11.5 pts. Betting lines typically open high and go down throughout the week, but I would not be suprised if this one went up another .5 to 1 pt.

GO RAMS

Random Ramsdom 10/14

kevinramsfan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:02:22 -0000

Can you believe we're halfway through October already? It seems like the season just started. Here's a few links to get you through your hump day.

The redemption of Alex Barron. Look, this guy needed to have a game like he did so let's not praise him too much for doing his job. However, towards the end of Sunday's game the one thing that hit me is that (if I'm not mistaken) there weren't any penalties attributed to the offensive line. That's something we need consistently from that group.
Some more practice squad shuffling. Familiar training camp face K.C. Asiodu makes his return to the Rams.
In case you missed it, Marc Bulger is the starting quarterback heading into Sunday.
Tim Carter re-joins the team.
Donnie Avery apologizes for that idiot dance performance he put on when his team was down big, late in the fourth quarter. Earth to Donnie: It's now week six. You're the number one wide out of an 0-5 team, and you have one touchdown catch in garbage time. Get ya mind right. That was almost as embarrassing as the offense's performance in the red zone.
Mark from Rams Gab on the last 25 years of Rams football.
Will from Rams Herd laments (very entertainingly) the ways the Rams have shot themselves in the foot this season.
The Rams open today at -13 underdogs at home to the Jaguars on Sunday. What does that say about us if the Jags just got beat by 40+ by the Seahawks?

A good Wednesday to you. GO RAMS.

Wide Receiver Woes

kevinramsfan — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:06:03 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

FILE - This guy needs to step up. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola,file)

Browse more photos »

It's no secret the Rams passing game has suffered so far this season. Averaging an anemic 140 yds/g (30th in the league), the road gets no easier against the Vikings (who are 12th in the league in yds/g pass D). The loss of Laurent Robinson was a big blow for this team, as he was looking like he was turning into a nice little off-season pickup for the team. Now, it's up to second-year WRs Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton to pick up the slack. Thing is, they're both a little hamstrung. Literally. Burton and Avery are both listed as questionable to play against the Vikings, with Burton the most likely of the two to see extensive playing time. Ruvell Martin is also a little nicked up, and no one knows exactly what Danny Amendola can bring in the passing game.

That leaves undrafted practice-squad call up Nate Jones as the only fully healthy wide receiver on the team.

Just for a little background, Jones went undrafted in 2008 and spent some time on the Vikings practice squad last year. After a quiet first three years at Texas playing behind talents like Limas Sweed, Jones blew up his senior year. In 2007, he caught 70 balls for almost 800 yards and 5 touchdowns. More importantly, he averaged 11.4 yds per reception. He's pretty quick, too. I found one 40-yard dash time at 4.41 seconds. Now obviously there's probably a good reason he did not get drafted and was on the practice squad behind some pedestrian wide receivers. But, I think this guy could bring a change of pace that could benefit the uninspired play calling and execution in the passing game. Let's hope we don't have to go five wide! In any case, look for an improving Daniel Fells and Steven Jackson to have some balls come their way so there isn't too much pressure put on this banged-up group.

Other Stuff:

The full injury report for the game. Kind of resembles a MASH unit, but I guess we're used to that by now.
Nate Jones bio from the official Rams website.
The line has gone up to Rams -10 1/2. That's probably because...
Adrian Peterson is good. Really good. One of my knocks on fantasy football is that it causes conflicts-of-interest. AP is on my 4-0 team, and I'm playing a really good team this week, so I need him to do well. I guess it's a win-win...AP goes off, well that's just one step closer to Sam Bradford. AP doesn't go off, Rams have a good shot of winning. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Enjoy the game. GO RAMS.

Funny New NFL Logos

kevinramsfan — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:14:08 -0000

Funny New NFL Logos

Pretty hilarious updated logos for some NFL teams. The Rams are on the second page. Enjoy.

Random Ramsdom 10/7: Rush Limbaugh Edition

kevinramsfan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:52:19 -0000

As Kanye would say, I apologize for my lateness. But it's hard to get excited about the Rams these days. On to the links.

As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, there are several groups mobilizing to buy the St. Louis Rams. One of these groups is headed by radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh and St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts. Here's Jim Thomas with the skinny. And let's just say Brian Burwell is none too pleased, adding the fans should be weary too.
The Rams did a little tinkering with the practice squad yesterday.
A little breakdown of the Steven Jackson's performance versus the '49ers from his own website. Pretty impressive site by the way.
Steve Korte reports on the throwing arm of one Marc Bulger. Still questionable at this point for Sunday. Does it really matter?
This is what we have to deal with on Sunday. Enough said.
Rams open up today at -10 against the Vikings.
Check out the Daily Norseman for all things Vikings. Doesn't Brett Favre play for them?

Enjoy your Wednesday everyone and GO RAMS.

Roster Moves Wednesday: Random Ramsdom 9/30

kevinramsfan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:27:45 -0000

The Rams have cut DT Hollis Thomas. He was a big body in the middle, but maybe too big and too old.
Also, WR Nate Jones has been promoted from the practice squad to fill the void left by Laurent Robinson. He was a player at Texas, but there's probably a reason he has yet to crack the big leagues. Only time will tell.
Bernie says that Bulger v. Boller is not the debate to be having. I wholeheartedly agree.
The Rams are -9 1/2 dogs on the road against the 'Niners.
Steve Korte on Bulger's status and what the depth chart will look like if he's out. Keith Null anyone?

I have to cut it short this morning because I have a meeting that I'm already late to. Have a great Wednesday and as always Go Rams!

What to Make of Chris Long?

kevinramsfan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:11:09 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Will Chris Long keep his eye on the ball this season? (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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Ever since I have been following the draft, the St. Louis Rams have had a lot of difficulty finding success in selecting defensive linemen. Defensive tackles in particular have been difficult, with names that make fans cringe like Claude Wroten, Ryan Pickett, Damione Lewis and of course, Jimmy Kennedy . For whatever reason (attitude mostly) these guys have had all the talent in the world, but could not put it together consitstantly in a Rams uniform.

On the other hand, defensive ends have seen mixed results. Before Chris Long, the last true defensive end drafted was Victor Adeyanju in 2006 (Adam Carriker was a d-end in college, but was moved inside by the previous coaching regime). Adeyanju has seen a little bit of the field, but his run-stopping prowess and lack of pass-rush ability has kept him in the specialty category. Tony Hargrove was drafted in the 3rd round of 2004's draft, and well -- like everyone but a certain Steven Jackson from that class -- Hargrove no longer plays for the Rams.

But Long was supposed to break that streak of bad d-linemen. Coming out of college, he looked like a can't miss. He had talent. He had pedigree. He went up against fellow future first round pick OT Eugene Monroe in practice. More importantly, he had the right attitude. What wasn't to like?

Well, here's Long's career stat line to date (according to NFL.com):

Total Tackles: 54
Solo: 36
Assists: 15
Sacks: 4.0

So the inevitable question arises: What to make of Chris Long's struggles? One blogger's take after the jump.

I must confess, the Post-Dispatch sort of beat me to the punch here, but I'm still going to offer my take on the situation.

In short, I think there is no need to panic regarding the performance of the the 2nd overall pick in 2008...yet.

Conisder this. Vernon Gholston, the talented DE from Ohio state who fell to the Jets at no. 6 that year, has yet to record a sack in his professional career (although he was moved to OLB). The other two DE's taken in the first round that year were Derrick Harvey from Florida and Lawrence Jackson from Southern Cal. Those two have combined 8.5 career sacks. A litte more than twice Long's total. But neither Jackson nor Harvey were rated worthy of the no. 2 overall pick. So even with hindsight, I like the pick based on how the draft unfolded. I could argue with a lot of other draft picks, but that's for another day.

Another comparison that I think has merit is to his father, Hall-of-Famer Howie Long. Through his first two seasons in Oakland ('81-'82) he had 5.5 total sacks. That's it. I know, different era, different game. OT's are bigger and faster. But Chris learned from arguably one of the top five sack artists of all time (Howie ended his career with 84.0 sacks and a bust in Canton). There's no need to panic. He's holding his own, particularly against the run. He's learing from Leonard Little and his hall of fame father. He'll get some sacks. That's what I found the consenus to be among the Rams writers at the PD.

But let's not give him a complete pass here. He was drafted to do a job, and start games at DE and rush the passer. So far, he's been a serviceable starter. But he's struggled rushing the passer. He, and the rest of this d-line, must put pressure on the QB this year, or the Rams will be picking high again next year.

The recipie for success? Billy Devaney must make a commitment to get some big bodies in the middle. That will take some blocking attention from Long and make it easier for him to do his job. And Long must learn from Steve Spagnuolo. He has a knack for helping out okay d-linemen and turning them into great ones (see Osi Umenyiora). Those two things combined will help Chris Long erase the d-lineman draft woes of the past and get this defense -- and this team -- back on the winning track.