SBNation.com User Blog: tyler bishop

Random Ramsdom: The Heat Is On

tyler bishop — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:52:09 -0000

The NFC West arms race is just underway, but has already reached a tipping point. Recently a poll of 13 NFL executives were asked which NFL team had the most talented roster. Of the 13 total votes, only the Seahawks and 49ers received a single vote. So it's likely the Rams will face the team with the consensus most talented roster in the NFL at least twice this year. However, Jeff Fisher has prided himself as a giant killer. Fisher and his young team will have an us vs. the world mentality that he instills in the players in 2013. Every NFC West team improved on paper this off-season. Now is the time of year where paper meets turf. Which NFC West team will have the edge in September?

Which late round NFL draft picks can start week 1?

St. Louis has two players on the list, any guesses?

SI released the top earning athletes for 2013:

Who makes the big dollars? It is interesting to see which football players make the list and where. Is Vincent Jackson really worth that pretty penny? Unless he changes his name to Calvin Johnson, I really doubt it. Either way, athlete pay is overrated in this day and age. Fans often find themselves too concerned with salaries. Can't we agree that there are far more stimulating aspects of sports than the athletes base salary?

Is there strength in numbers? Coaching numbers that is!

Mike Sando took a look at the number of assistant coaches in the NFC West - and let me tell you there were a lot. Jeff Fisher recently spoke at an event in St. Louis and talked about the importance of relating to players and building a program. To do this, he claims you have to learn to delegate and rely on your assistants. So far this has been a sound strategy for the Rams organization.

Keep Janoris Jenkins away from party buses - or end up like Shady McCoy:

Obviously the title is a little tongue in cheek; however, the rigors of NFL player life include keeping yourslef out of compromising situations. This is just another example.

Can Cody Davis make the final 53 man roster?

It certainly looks like he has a fair shot. He may have to beat out someone like Rodney McLoed or Matt Daniels, but if the talent is where it is advertised that shouldn't be a problem.

Random Ramsdom: Speed Kills

tyler bishop — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:52:18 -0000

Chris Givens, Jared Cook, and Tavon Austin will surely help the Rams 4x100 team, but there's no doubt Jeff Fisher is hoping this exceptional speed will help electrify a stagnant offense. The past few years, Sam Bradford has been the driver of a 92' Ford Taurus, and the offense has performed accordingly. This year the Rams will give him the keys to something newer, faster, and sexier. Turf Show Times own Brandon Bate discussed this in his article yesterday. Will this faster Rams offense be more effective in 2013 than it has been in the last decade? Ram's fans wait eagerly with their fingers crossed.

On to the news!

Rams dodge a bullet with problem child player:

You know how you can tell just how smart Jeff Fisher is? Fisher didn't need to spend much more than a week with Titus Young before figuring out that he was knucklehead who could not be trusted to stay out of trouble. Young was arrested a few days ago for DUI, but the worst part was that he was quickly arrested again the next day for illegally trying to "reacquire" his automobile from the impound lot. The Rams truly dodged a bullet by making Young's stay in St. Louis a short one.

Can TJ McDonald follow in his fathers Pro-Bowl footsteps?:

Rams fans would be very excited to see a secondary player in the Pro-Bowl. What's more, fans would be elated to see a player like McDonald overshadow the likes of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas in the NFC West.

Two early roster projections: Turf Show Times and Bleacher Report

It's almost impossible to project the final 53 at this point; however, once you start placing players on the chart you realize what spots may be open, and who might be vying for a starting position. Check both depth charts out, and see for yourself who may be battling for a spot this year.

Baily brings big play potential:

With all the Rams new toys, could it be that Stedman Baily becomes the Rams newest big-play machine?

Stay classy Rams fans.

Poll

Who will be the Rams biggest offense threat in 2013?

Chris Givens

92 votes

Tavon Austin

209 votes

Jared Cook

68 votes

Stedman Bailey

49 votes

Sam Bradford

122 votes

Brian Quick

23 votes

Pead, Richardson, or Stacey

9 votes

Other: Explain Below

7 votes

579 votes | Poll has closed

2013 NFL Draft trade rumors: How can the Rams get Tavon Austin?

tyler bishop — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:03:05 -0000

Are you still not sold on the idea of Tavon Austin adding to the Rams depleted receiving corp? Please watch the video below...

Now that you've changed your mind, how could the Rams acquire such a talent when his draft stock appears to be flying through the roof? There are only three ways to make it happen. Here's how the Rams can go about drafting Tavon Austin.

Staying put:
When the draft process started Tavon Austin was a late 1st/early 2nd round pick. Now, as of this week, Austin is considered a top 10 pick. The Rams might not buy the hype. They may feel they understand the market better than anyone. After all, Austin is 5'8 and less than 180lbs. Investing major capital on a player that small is extremely rare. The increased interest may be nothing more than a smoke screen, and perhaps the Rams don't buy it. If that is the case, the Rams will have made the smartest decision they could possibly make, and will be able to snag an electric playmaker with their 16th overall pick. This is very risky if you feel that there is a strong market for Austin's services. Any other NFL team could make New Orleans a beautiful offer to steal Austin from right underneath the Rams noses in this scenario.
Trading up:
If the draft week hype is real, Tavon Austin will be a top 10 pick. The Rams would have to get in front of all possible suitors to secure their man. While trading up seems like the easiest way to secure Austin, it is actually a very dangerous game. If Austin is truly coveted this much, the Rams are not just trying to get in front of teams like Buffalo and New York, they are trying to get in front of any other team that is considering moving up. A team like the 49ers or Vikings certainly have the capital to move into the top 10 picks if they covet the same player. The Rams will have to determine the climate for this years draft before other teams, and pull the trigger at the proper time to move up. This often means giving up more that you would like. You have to absolutely love Tavon Austin to make this move.

One scenario I haven't seen anyone speculate on yet includes the Rams trading a 2014 pick to move up for Austin. With both the Rams and Redskins improving quickly, the Rams may decide that trading a 2014 1st or 2nd round pick to move up this year suits there long term goals better. Just another thing to consider. Fisher and Snead are outside of the box thinkers, so everything is worth considering.
Eli Manning/Phillip Rivers trade for Austin:
As crazy as this sounds, it is still a possibility. The only way this works for the Rams is if they can work a special deal out with someone like Buffalo (or someone else). If Austin where to fall to that team, they would draft him. They could then allow the Rams to select a player in their favor for a trade to happen after-the-fact. This would allow both teams to have pre-designed plans in place without having to swap picks. The only benefit to this plan is that it provides more reliable contingencies, and could also provide structure for something like a 2014 pick trade. While this is extremely unlikely, I thought it was worth covering all the bases. As stated above, the Rams front office thinks outside of the box.

So what do you think? Can the Rams add the playmaking receiver from West Virginia that has all the headlines today? What will be the ultimate cost?

Poll

What should the Rams do about Tavon Austin?

Stay put, and pick at #16

167 votes

Move up aggressively

107 votes

Eli Manning/Phillip Rivers Scenario

15 votes

Pass on him regardless of availability

13 votes

302 votes | Poll has closed

Random Ramsdom: Draft Ahead

tyler bishop — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:42:23 -0000

It's almost impossible to guess what the Rams will do tomorrow. The front office cannot even tell you themselves. It is a fluid situation. During his conference call earlier this week, Les Snead commented on trades in the early part of the first round being a crucial factor in the direction their board would go. This likely means that there are certain positions that could "run" in the first round causing the Rams to take their board in a different direction, or possibly bail out of one of their 1st round picks. One thing's for sure, every NFL team feels as though it's prepared for tomorrow, and the Rams are no exception.

Gil Brandt presents his last mock draft:

With the new CBA in place, trading up is easier and less risky because of the lessened financial commitment teams will have to make to the players. Therefore, it's extremely possible that we could continue to see a trend from last year in which there is a lot of trade movement in the 1st round. Gil's mock does a good job of outlining those trade scenarios, but I'm not sure the Rams would select Reid at 16. Reid is a very good safety, but I'm skeptical that the Rams would have to jump him at 16 unless there is something we have all been missing.

Scout Talk: Jarvis Jones, Barkevious Mingo, and more:

It's always interesting to hear the opinions of those on the front-lines. Teams that do things the right way can trust and listen to their scouts.

Rams restructure Long's deal

Before you get too excited, realize the Rams need the extra money to actually sign their draft picks. Also to have complete a 53 man roster, the Rams will likely have even more work to do to.

The Rams aren't interested in trading Roger Saffold:

The more you have to say something isn't true, the more likely there is some truth to it. I get the speculation of it all, but in all likelihood if the Rams could get a good value for Saffold I'm sure they would pull the trigger. The draft will be the ultimate tell-tale.

Is this the worst draft class in decades?

Probably not. 2008 was pretty bad, and most people thought it was a decent class. Let's let history decide, because while this class may lack electric talent up front, it has plenty of meat in the back.

Stay classy Rams fans

Random Ramsdom: 1 week, 1 Day

tyler bishop — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:19:00 -0000

This is the most stressful time for NFL front offices. So much preparation goes into the draft, and no one wants to drop the ball. All contingencies are being accounted for, and everyone is preparing for the mad dash that is the NFL draft.

In the world of draft analysts, this is the period of time in which every player will go in the top 10, or could fall to the mid-late rounds. You will here all kinds of crazy reports, and 1/10 of them will end up being correct. It will be interesting to see who predicted things correctly this year.

Greg Cosell says Justin Hunter is the drafts top WR:

Could it be? Justin Hunter was listed by many as the drafts top receiver during the fall. However, Hunter has fallen out of good graces as other prospects have risen and scouts have a had a chance to really press him in wake of his knee surgery recovery. Could Hunter really be the drafts best WR?

The Turf Show Times team just finished our running back big board:

Eddie Lacy averaged-out as our #1, but very few of us agreed on our top 5. See how we voted.

Expect the unexpected from Jeff Fisher and Les Snead

I believe this sentiment to be very true. Jeff Fisher and Les Snead will build a intelligent draft plan, and they won't panic. They will stick to their guns and pull the trigger with conviction. To me, this means some decisions may seem strange or unorthodox from an outside perspective. Fisher and Snead will have spent a lot of time evaluating their plans. Ultimately, it will mean they have a strong idea of what certain players can help their team. It just may happen that "those" players aren't the ones that draft analysts love the most.

Is DJ Hayden a fit for the Rams:

As the Rams learned in 2011, you can never have too many corners. DJ Hayden is shooting up draft boards, but still may be available in the second round. Would you be disappointed if the Rams drafted any corners in the early rounds?

"Blue and Red Chip" players:

When Tony Softli talks about blue and red chips he's usually at a Mexican restaurant, but when Gil Brandt refers to a blue or red chip player he's referring to the elite ceiling. Who are this years most highly gifted prospects?

Stay classy Rams fans!

2013 NFL Draft: Turf Show Times running back big board

tyler bishop — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:08:05 -0000

It's hard to gauge exactly how the Rams view this year's crop of running backs. The class of 2013 lacks a leading standout, aside from the currently injured Marcus Lattimore, but the class makes up for it's lack of elite talent with depth and versatility. No matter what kind of running back you are looking for, it can be found in this year's draft - feature backs, one-cut backs, zone blocking scheme backs, 3rd down backs, and more. Everyone seems to view this class differently, so myself and some of the other TST crew members sat down and hammered out our big board once and for all.

The big board below consists of players that were selected as a part of top ten lists created by a six writer panel at Turf Show Times. Being ranked by a writer as first was worth ten points, ranked as second was worth nine points, and so on. Ultimately, we finished with a board of 17 players. Below are the players ranked in order.

1. Eddie Lacy, Alabama - 53

2. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina - 42

3. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina - 30

4. Andre Ellington, Clemson - 29

5. Montee Ball, Wisconsin - 28

6. Christine Micheal, Texas A & M - 26

7. Jonathan Franklin, UCLA - 25

8. Le’Veon Bell, Michigan State – 24

9. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford -18

10. Joesph Randle, Oklahoma State -13

11. Knile Davis, Arkansas - 10

12. Zac Stacey, Vanderbilt - 7

13. Mike Gillislee, Florida – 4 (T)

14. Dennis Johnson, Arkansas – 4 (T)

15. Kenjon Barner, Oregon - 3

16. Zach Line, Southern Methodist – 1 (T)

17. Spencer Ware, LSU -1 (T)

You can see how each of our writers ranked these players at the bottom of the page. Each writer had their own standouts and specific convictions. A few things that stood out were....

Spencer Ware, Zac Stacey, Zach Line, Kenjon Barner, and Dennis Johnson only appeared once on a writers board throughout the whole survey.
The players with some of the greatest disparity among writers included Marcus Lattimore, Giovani Bernard, and Montee Ball. I had Marcus Lattimore first, but most of the other writers dropped him down (due to his injury history). Giovani Bernard was very highly ranked by several writers, but was ranked very low by a few others. He did not even appear on my board at all. Finally, hometown back Montee Ball was all over everyone's board. Ball made it all the way up to #3 on one board, and all the way down to #9 on another.
Four different backs appeared at the #1 spot for our six writers.
If the Rams are looking for a big powerful back, our writers seem to have ranked Eddie Lacy, Le'Veon Bell, and Stepfan Taylor as a few of the top choices.
If the Rams are looking for a smaller outside runner, our writers seem to have ranked Giovani Bernard, Andre Ellington, and Jonathan Franklin as a few of the prospects.
As far as feature backs are concerned, our writers agreed that Marcus Lattimore, Christine Micheal, and Montee Ball may make good choices (although in what round is certainly up for debate).

Ranking	Tyler Bishop	Douglas M	Eric Nagel	Tevin Broner	Brandon Birkhead	Ryan Van Bibber
1	Marcus Lattimore	Le'Veon Bell	Giovani Bernard	Eddie Lacy	Giovani Bernard	Giovani Bernard
2	Eddie Lacy	Giovani Bernard	Eddie Lacy	Joesph Randle	Christine Micheal	Eddie Lacy
3	Montee Ball	Eddie Lacy	Jonathan Franklin	Andre Ellington	Eddie Lacy	Andre Ellington
4	Zac Stacey	Montee Ball	Andre Ellington	Montee Ball	Jonathan Franklin	Jonathan Franklin
5	Christine Micheal	Marcus Lattimore	Knile Davis	Giovani Bernard	Marcus Lattimore	Le'Veon Bell
6	Stepfan Taylor	Joesph Randle	Marcus Lattimore	Dennis Johnson	Stepfan Taylor	Christine Micheal
7	Andre Ellington	Stepfan Taylor	Christine Micheal	Jonathan Franklin	Andre Ellington	Marcus Lattimore
8	Mike Gillislee	Kenjon Barner	Stepfan Taylor	Christin Micheal	Montee Ball	Montee Ball
9	Le'Veon Bell	Knile Davis	Montee Ball	Marcus Lattimore	Mike Gillislee	Knile Davis
10	Spencer Ware	Zach Line	Mike Gillislee	Stepfan Taylor	Knile Davis	Stepfan Taylor

Poll

Who's top ten do you like the most?

Tyler's

60 votes

Doug's

45 votes

Eric's

27 votes

Tevin's

15 votes

Brandon's

20 votes

Ryan's

21 votes

All of you guys are terrible, I hate you all

49 votes

237 votes | Poll has closed

Random Ramsdom, 4/10: Finding A Fit

tyler bishop — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:41:25 -0000

It's hard to not get caught up in all that is the draft. The pageantry and speculation are at an apex. No other sport builds this kind of enthusiasm for the drafting process than the NFL. Every fan will secretly hope there team will select certain players they have deemed acceptable, but inevitably the draft is hard to predict and there will be some fans who leave the major event with sour grapes. The Rams front office will need to be on their toes for this one. This draft - which seems long on depth, but short on elite talent - may prove to be a very fluid process. That means the Rams will have to be ready to make trades, nab players, and hustle a few other general managers to stay on top.

Help Wanted: Receiver - non-first year starters need not apply

Les Snead dropped a little bit of knowledge to a local insider a while back in which he stated that "we already have someone of that genre", when discussing Da'Rick Rogers - a semi-raw WR prospect. If genuine, this would lead you to believe that the Rams are searching for a more polished receiver prospect in the draft. Below are players that by many accounts could be possible polished prospects, and others who are not. Will the Rams stray from the more polished receivers to take a chance on talent? Fisher has made no bones about it in the past, he values talent and ability over most other factors.

Group A: Examples of more polished prospects:

Tavon Austin
Robert Woods
Keenan Allen
Quinton Patton

Group B: Examples of less-polished prospects:

Cordarrelle Patterson
Da'Rick Rogers
DeAndre Hopkins
Marquess Wilson

CVC will have to pay legal fee's

Ouch! The hits keep coming for the city of St. Louis. This should come as no major surprise, as this is how the American legal system works, but it certainly only adds to the urgency the city should take in evaluating what kind of deal they can work out with the team. The Rams have all the leverage, and it's time to start getting creative.

This year's running back crop might be hard to grade

This years running back class has no elite prospect. Eddie Lacy appears to be the most talented of the bunch, but the truth is that he does not deserve to be a first round prospect. As the running back continues it's free fall as a premium position you have to wonder when the first back will even come off the board.

Classic high risk/high reward prospects in the 2013 draft

There are a few things that make players "high-risk"; injuries, character issues, and legal issues. Injuries and legal issues are actually easier to deal with than character issues. No one understands this better than Jeff Fisher - who has coached plenty of all three groups. Character issues can ultimately decide whether or not a player can put forth the effort to become an NFL caliber player. Legal issues can be avoided, and injuries can often be prevented. I expect the Rams will be in the bidding for several of the fella's on this list, but they will pay close attention to character when it comes to make their final selection.

Where will the members of the Alabama All-Stars be playing next year?

The SEC expansion team will flood the NFL with talent once again this year. Where will all these players end up? Bill Belichick can't draft them all.

Stay classy Rams fans

Poll

Which group (listed above) are the Rams more likely to draw receiver talent from this year?

Group A

256 votes

Group B

26 votes

I have no valid opinion, I like turtles

32 votes

314 votes | Poll has closed

Random Ramsdom: In with the new!

tyler bishop — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:29:02 -0000

This time of year every team does their spring cleaning and then goes shopping. The shopping is almost done, and teams will soon focus all of their energy on the 2013 NFL draft. Good teams know that the draft is the key to team-building, and you will be hard-pressed to find a team that understands that better than the Rams - or at least they should, right? The draft has crippled the Rams organization in the past, could it be the key to their rise to fame and fortune once again? Les Snead and Jeff Fisher have done a great job acquiring talent and depth so far. In year two, fans should expect their vision for the team to be fully revealed.

How good was Danny Amendola?

This writer owns a custom Danny Amendola jersey and was very sad to see him go, but as stated above the vision for this team is larger than one or two players. Danny Amendola may not have been able to contribute in the way that many of us hoped that he would. Ultimately, it may be better that he is gone.

Marcus Lattimore worth the risk?

Marcus Lattimore is arguably the most genetically gifted running back in this years class. Unfortunately, he has been injury-ridden as of late. He is the definition of a risky pick. Can the Rams afford the gamble any of their picks on a player like this. Is the pay-off worth spending resources that could be used to fill other spots? He certainly possesses a skill set that only a handful of other human beings do.

Speaking of Lattimore, this new mock-draft has him going to the Rams - see where they have him...

I actually really like this mock draft. It contains players that I think fit the Rams team. However, the draft always seems to be a surprise to many - which is why it is so difficult to predict.

Rams need a linebacker, Sio Moore plays linebacker

Sio Moore posses a lot of unique traits that make a very unique prospect. His speed and aggressiveness could help fill the role of strongside linebacker the Rams are searching for. Rams fans, any interest in Sio Moore?

Menelik Watson a real option for Rams

Everyone seems to be enamored with Menelik Watson's potential. Unfortunately, he is still fairly raw, and doesn't have a lot of experience. As a prospect he is a great fit for the Rams. The Rams badly need a long-term solution at right tackle, and Watson's ability and technique can be polished by the Rams "hog-whisperer", Paul Budreau. The only difficult part is determining where the Rams could select him. I don't know if the Rams would select him in the first, and don't know if he would last until the Rams pick in the second.

Stay classy Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom: Free Agency Edition!

tyler bishop — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:26:22 -0000

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a 18-wheeler barreling down the interstate at 200 mph? No casual NFL fan, it is the start of free agency. The full-on craziness is upon us. The reports are all over the wire, and it can be hard to keep everything straight.

Here's a link to a free agency tracker to help you out...

So where do we start? William Hayes stays, and Jared Cook chooses St. Louis over Miami (St. Louis - 2, Miami - 0).

So far, so good. The Rams resigned a known quantity in Hayes - who significantly contributed in multiple ways last year. The St. Louis style of play probably better fits him than any, and it was mutually beneficial to keep him wearing the horns. The defensive line rotation appears just about set. With Cudjo and Hayes back, it is likely that Matt Conrath, a possible draft pick, and some UDFA's will battle out a final spot or two for D-line depth during camp.

How will Jared Cook contribute?

I can't say that I know this was the right move, none of us can. Jared Cook is immensely talented, and has only flashed his ability to be an elite NFL tight end here and there. With that being said, I can't imagine Jeff Fisher and Les Snead would sign a big 5 year contract with player they didn't believe was an ascending young talent that they could bring along. Belief and reality can be two different things. Rams fans will hope that Tennessee was the only thing holding Cook back. Consistency will be the key to Cooks success in St. Louis.

Rams fans split on possible addition of Jake Long

Most credible sources agree that the Rams interest in Jake Long is extremely high. Some are going as far as to say that it is a done deal pending a physical (I'm sure there is more to it than that). So why are Rams fans split on the addition of one of the best NFL tackles over the past 5 years? The concern appears to lie in a perceived decline in his abilities and the sudden emergence of injuries. If fully-healthy, there is no reason to believe that Long could not continue to be one of the top 3 tackles in the league. My guess is the Rams want a full health profile on a guy that may be showing signs of being more damaged than most realize. The Dolphins could use a good tackle and they let him walk, that screams buyer-beware. However; if Jake Long can be healthy and play LT for the Rams, St. Louis will have significantly improved their line and opened up even greater draft options.

The end of an era with SJ39

It's all but done. Steven Jackson will not wear blue and gold next season. It is hard for fans to see. Although many fans saw this coming - or even knew it may be best for both parties - it will be hard to watch Steven in another teams uniform. The current scuttlebutt is that Atlanta and Green Bay appear to be the most likely destinations.

Could the Rams have a free agency trifecta?

If the Rams secure Jared Cook, a healthy Jake Long, and a healthy Louis Delmas, fans should be elated. St. Louis will have likely gotten the most out of their cap space, and upgraded 3 spots on the roster. These players would provide weapons on offense, and upgrade the defense. It's only 33% true right now, but fans have to like the opportunity that these upgrades could bring the team.

In other FA news....

Bradley Fletcher will be an Eagle next season. This is a good fit for Fletcher - who was widely undervalued this offseason. Fletcher can start in Philidelphia, and be a big contributor for their defense.

The Colts are using a random generator to sign random free agent players. The results are about what you might expect. See Greg Toler and Gosder Cherilus.

Danny Amendola seems to have a lot of interest, but none from Rams. This is a little disappointing, but it sounds like this was decided a while back.

Jacksonville remains a sad place to be a football fan.

Stay classy Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom: Who will be a Ram in 2013?

tyler bishop — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:52:01 -0000

The Rams are in a prime position in the draft. They have multiple picks in the top 60 for the next several years. This was setup by the Robert Griffin III trade. Unfortunately, the Rams are not in the same situation for free agency. The Rams have been hurt by the previous CBA draft system. Years of high draft picks - due to woeful seasons - have left the team somewhat cash-strapped. All-in-all, it could be worse. The Rams could be like the Jets, and have a burning tire fire of ineptitude on their hands, but instead the Rams will just have to be very responsible about they do have to spend.

The CBS sports team weigh's in on how the Rams could approach free agency:

The Rams strength is their draft capital, not their payroll. So to me, it makes sense that the Rams build their strategy for improving the team around the draft. That means finding role-players in free agency, and players you can win with in the draft. What does that mean? It means that if the Rams were to plan around their strength, they would most likely be focused on building the foundations of a better team in the draft - rather than free agency. What does this look like? Only Jeff Fisher and Les Snead know for sure, but I would venture to guess that the roles they view to be most vital to the growth of this team will be addressed in the draft, and lesser roles will be touched in free agency.

Le'Veon Bell a Rams target?

If Steven Jackson does not return this year as a Ram, St. Louis will have a big hole to fill. Currently Isiah Pead and Daryl Richardson appear to be waiting in the wings, but Jeff Fisher has always preferred to have a little thunder on the team as well - a player that can grind out tough yards like Steven. The only other player on the roster that fits that role is Terrance Gannaway. Despite Gannaway's recent work at a sandwich shop in Texas, I'm not sure he will simply be given that role when camp begins. Could a player like Bell be the answer? He lacks the athletic ability that Jackson brings, but appears to be a significant upgrade over Gannaway. What do you say Rams fans? Any interest in Le'Veon Bell?

OMG, Danny Amendola to the Patriots... what a fresh new idea!!!!!!

If you didn't detect my sarcasm in the link let me make myself clear. No one is breaking any kind of news by filling us in on the similarities between Amendola and Wes Welker. They are both small, fast, white slot receivers. They both played the same position at the same college, we get it. While the move of Danny Amendola to the Patriots makes sense, it almost makes too much sense at this point. Personally, I would hope the Rams competitively compete for Danny's services. He can be a real asset to this team, and is currently the best receiver on the roster. If he's not a Ram, fans will certainly hope he doesn't become a Patriot.

The Unlucky 8 - "The taggers"

It's hard to feel bad for players that will be "unlucky" enough to be paid in the top 10 of their position this year, but it is easy to understand why they could be frustrated. The franchise tag pays a player for one year with no guarantee for the future. Players don't like it, and teams would prefer not to use it, so it's always interesting to see which teams get desperate enough to use it.

Stay classy Rams fans

Random Ramsdom: The Times Are Changing

tyler bishop — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:36:51 -0000

In 2012, the St. Louis Rams turned over their roster about as much as any team can in one year. The team was new, and the team was young. The hard part about major roster overhauls is the difficulty in acquiring the appropriate amount of talent to adequately replace what was lost. Often this is a hard call to make because it means trading a proven product (although often times in the case of the Rams it is proven to be awful - see Justin King) for something that is an unknown quantity. In 2013, the Rams find themselves in a similar situation with different circumstances. Fisher will continue his journey towards a young, talented, and athletic team. Unfortunately, this time the team will not be looking to upgrade the likes of Ben Leber, Daniel Muir, and Adam Goldberg. The Rams are looking to replace fan favorites and long-time productive players. Times are changing at Rams Park.

Steven Jackson voids contract:

This should not come as a surprise to any. Just like any deal in business, no deals are completed until both parties exhaust all their possible options and define their best move. That wasn't going to happen in this case until Steven Jackson reached free agency. Even if Steven's plan is to stay in St. Louis, the best way for him to get a fair deal is to use free agency as leverage. I believe the Rams may have closed the door on Steven though, and it appears his stay in St. Louis may have come to an end. If so, those shoes will be hard to fill.

What should the Rams NOT do in free agency:

This article is actually very well thought out - and while it will likely ruffle the feathers of many fans dreaming free-agent fantasies - it brings out some great points about building this team the right way. Free agents are much more expensive than commodities in the draft, and many of the positions and players listed may provide better/cheaper options in the draft. What do you think?

What do the Rams need to do in 2013:

There is a lot of good information in this article. Don't get too caught up in the salary cap number, no one really knows what that is. I am being sincere when I say this, Kevin Demoff is the only person who has a handle on what the Rams Salary cap will/or won't be. Everyone else who is standing on a chair about this subject will ultimately realize they don't fully-understand the subject.

What happened at the combine:

In case you don't like sitting through a bunch of athletes running, jumping, and answering questions we've got you covered. Here is a quick highlight of some of Day 6's activities - which features some of the combines most impressive performances. Pay particular attention to the safeties in this years class. It is extremely liekly the Rams comes away with at least on new secondary member.

Draft short of "sizzle" long on "Uglies"

It's being assumed that this draft is short of skilled positions and deep in the trenches. For those that don't talk like a defensive line coach, that means that there isn't a lot of quarterbacks, runningbacks, and wide receivers that are very exciting in this draft. However; there is a lot of depth at the defensive and offensive line positions. This will prove good for the Rams who need to upgrade their offensive line, and build a defense around a strong front-7 rotation.

Stay classy Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom: Is Our Best Good Enough?

tyler bishop — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:34:04 -0000

Jeff Fisher and Les Snead are trying to build a talented and gritty football team. The 2012 draft class is a reflection of building talent, and tough effort in games against the 49ers shows the development of this teams grittiness. Unfortunately, even if this team is fully-developed their best may not be good enough to become a top tier NFL franchise. The good news is that the Rams are strongly equipped to build towards a more talented future. The bad news is that many beloved players may have to become part of the past to make that happen.

How valuable is Danny Amendola to the Rams?

Injuries aside, he is extremely valuable. He is the Rams best receiver as it stands today. It is a tough sell to say that the Rams will improve their receiving squad by subtracting the most efficient weapon. However, his injuries hurt this team in more ways than one. The team not only loses him when he's injured, but they lose the other player that could have been there instead. They lose the reps in practice another player could have taken, and have to change in-game strategies to reflect his absence. No one will know Danny's health better than the Rams, and they should negotiate around where they feel his health will be over the next 4 years. Resigning a version of Danny Amendola that doesn't get injured is a no-brainer.

Mike Mayock's thoughts on the Rams future:

I really enjoyed reading Mike's thoughts on how the Rams are setup for the future. I believe he has a reasonable and sound understanding of the team, and where it's going.

10 players the Rams must monitor closely heading into the draft:

This should give Rams fans some insight into some likely players atop the Rams draft board. The hard part to predict is just where Snead and Fisher will have them on their board. If the best player available on the Rams board doesn't line up with their draft position I think it's likely they will try to trade back. What we keep hearing about this draft class is how it makes up for the lack of extreme talent in the first round with strong depth throughout the later rounds. Perhaps the Rams will seek to take advantage of that.

Will Marcus Lattimore be the next Adrian Peterson?

Unfortunately this statement is comparing both players vicious knee injuries that occurred, not their talents on the field. Had Lattimore never found the training table during his college career we might be asking the same question in another context. So in the spirit of "out with the old, in with the new"; if Steven Jackson leaves in free agency, should the Rams consider a high-upside talent like Lattimore in-spite of this brutal injury if he checks out at the combine? It would be a risky move to put the running back squad squarely in the hands of the inexperienced Pead, Richardson, and oft-injured Lattimore, but sometimes risk is required to raise the talent level of your team. What do you think?

Oakland Raider combine award winners????

the Oakland Raiders are famous for scooping up and over-drafting physical freaks of nature. Who will be Oakland award-winners this year? Most of those mentioned are first-round projected defensive prospects. Do any of those interest you?

Stay classy Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom, 2/13/13: Detroit Rock City

tyler bishop — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:45:37 -0000

One story dominates the headlines in Rams nation today. The hire of Tim Walton as defensive coordinator may come as a shock to many, but after his interview several days ago, fans should have known he could be a strong possibility to become a new addition to the team. Most of all, fans should rejoice that in this action-less week of football the media is talking about new coaches, not new stadiums.

Tim Walton to be named Rams defensive coordinator

I may be one of few people that is not surprised by this hire. No, I didn't predict that the Rams were going to hire Tim Walton. In fact, until last week I'd never heard of Tim Walton. But I do know this; the Rams defense is a product of Jeff Fisher, Dave McGinnis, Chuck Cecil, and Mike Waufle. Those men are all top 5 veteran coaches at their position in the NFL. Those Rams coaches will put the players in a position to play to their strengths, and will continue to help them develop. The Rams didn't need a "name" defensive coordinator to come in and take over (that's why Rob Ryan didn't work). They needed an energetic defensive president that could play the role of manager.

So is Tim Walton the right guy? I don't know. He is well respected among peers, has experience in this league, and by all accounts is a pretty fiery guy. He certainly looks like he could fit that defensive manager role I was discussing, but make no mistake, this is Jeff Fishers defense. So at the end of the day, it is Fisher - not Walton - who is responsible for this units success in 2013.

What does the Rams draft board look like this year?

I see two major difficulties in determining what the Rams will do in the draft this year:

Between Fisher and Snead, they have only taken 1 offensive lineman in the first round...ever. Would they select a Chance Warmack, Jonathan Cooper, or Lane Johnson in spite of this? The way Fisher's OL philosophy was explained to me by his colleagues was that he doesn't believe the physical talent among draft-able OL is a rare find in round 1. This partly because it is a position that involves greater focus on technique than anything, and that you can find equally strong talent in the later rounds. You have to ask at what point does an obvious talent like Warmack become too tempting?
It would be par for the course for Jeff Fisher and his new DB coach turned defensive coordinator to select a safety in the first round. However, this is a very deep safety class. There is even some debate over who the top safety is. With a deep class at the position, would the Rams entertain the thought of taking one off the board when they could possibly grab equal talent later on?

Who is Tim Walton?

Join me in finding out exactly who Tim Walton is.

You're telling me Titus Young is a bad boy!

So we aren't done talking about Titus Young yet. I really don't see how this low risk trial is bad for the team, but the article above outlines why he is a volatile player and bad teammate. I think this is all pretty obvious. Janoris Jenkins is no choir boy either.

Jeff Fisher does a good job of handling these "troubled" players. I remember hearing about the aggressive and detailed plan that the team had built for Janoris Jenkins regarding his past troubles and liabilities, and all the breathtaking detail that went into it. I have also heard it mentioned that the team put together a similar plan for Young. If the Rams can extract the talent from Young without impacting the team culture, they will have made one of the slickest moves of the off-season. I for one am glad to see the Rams be aggressive in acquiring talent.

Stay classy Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom, 2/6: No shortage of storylines

tyler bishop — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:42:48 -0000

Rams fans expect a better team in 2013. In fact, it's a almost a forgone conclusion that they will be a better team in the minds of most fans. However, given the history of this rocky franchise, no one should breath easy just yet. This team still has a long way to go. The offense needs to be rebuilt, and the defense must continue to evolve and grow. Every team has fans that look forward to the draft, but Rams fans should be biting their nails this year. The real question most Rams fans really want to know is - how much further does the team have to go?

Rams roll the dice with Titus Young:

Is Titus Young a talented player? Yes. Is he a headache for coaches and teammates? Yes. Ultimately, it's tough to say why the Rams decided to bring Titus Young in. Of all the teams that would consider such a move, you would think the Rams would be last in line. Jeff Fisher has close ties with Jim Schwartz, and should have close insight into the problems Young has. Perhaps that makes the signing that much more interesting. Maybe Jeff Fisher thinks things can change for Young in St. Louis. Or perhaps Young is simply leverage in contract negotiations with Danny Amendola. Only time will tell.

Amendola's Agent Rips Titus Young:

This certainly doesn't surprise me. In fact, it reinforces my last statement above.

Rams biggest offseason priorities:

As mentioned above, the Rams must start rebuilding their offense. The defense is continuing to evolve, and so far Jeff Fisher gives us hope that this trend will continue. But the offense is bad because the players are bad. The receiving corp is devoid of proven talent, and the talent that is established is poor. The Rams need playmakers for Bradford to throw to, running-backs that can make big plays, and an offensive line that is not ranked last in the league. So in this case, I agree 100% that improving the offense should be the top priority.

Will Austin Pettis settle Titus Young down:

Can Young's former teammate Austin Pettis help him stick on the team? It sure seems possible, but I wouldn't write a check just yet. In reality, Titus Young has two hurdles to overcome. First, he has to get with the program and prove he can learn to play in the NFL. Second, he has to fully-recover from a surgery that ended his season last year. Maybe Austin Pettis will prove to be a miracle worker. Again, time will tell.

What talks have emerged as it relates to public funding for a new Rams stadium:

This is a tricky issue. No one has an inside slant. Everyone is posturing in a situation like this, and the predicament is completely fluid. There are no conspiracy theories, hidden plans, or underground agendas. This is the business of pro sports, and it will play itself out over the next few years.

Stay classy Rams fans.

Poll

Will Titus Young stick with the Rams?

Yes

294 votes

No, he'll be gone by training camp

49 votes

No, it will be a mess

34 votes

377 votes | Poll has closed

Random Ramsdom: Ryan's out, but who's in???

tyler bishop — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:55:35 -0000

Rob Ryan wasn't a "scheme fit". Well, that was the first question most of us had when he arrived on the scene. So what gives? While the Ryan and Fisher styles of defense are similar in approach, they are vastly different in application. But, the Rams had to have known this. It can't be as simple as schemes not lining up, right? The unfortunate part is that many of us will probably never know why Rob Ryan fell off as the Rams new defensive coordinator. Jeff Fisher runs a tight lip ship, and it's unlikely all the details are made fully present.

So what do the Rams do now?

Here is the history of how this defensive coordinator story has evolved, and where it may be headed. Dick Jauron is not an exciting name. Rams fans will likely be grossly disappointed with a hire that doesn't inherently make the team better. As mentioned above, Rams fans trust Jeff Fisher, but this decision would have to be built solely on trust. Jauron has nothing on his resume that would lead you to believe he is capable of producing a top 5 defense.

Larry Warford NFL ready?

The St. Louis Rams badly need interior offensive line help, but it remains to be seen that Jeff Fisher would make any offensive line position a top target in the draft. It would be grossly out of character to see someone like Chance Warmack drafted by the Rams. That being said, Fisher has snagged some real winners in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the draft. Micheal Roos and David Stewart are two longtime Tennessee stalwarts that Fisher nabbed outside of the first round. Could someone like Larry Warford be next in line?

Can the Rams find starters in the draft?

The Rams need instant impact again from this years draft class. With the draft capital the Rams hold, it would certainly seem possible, but who are the players that could be inserted week 1? Again, it would be out of character for Fisher to select an offensive lineman in round 1 - regardless of how ready they are - but would someone who could compete at an extremely high level already sway Fisher/Snead's opinions?

Dallas Thomas a fit for Rams?

Looking outside of the first round, another name that keeps popping up is Dallas Thomas. His arms aren't long like someone like DJ Fluker or Eric Fisher, but his film and bowl game performances prove that he is capable of competing. Could he be a fit at guard or tackle for the Rams?

Super-Sleeper Wide Receiver

Is Courtney Gardner this years Brian Quick? I know most Rams fans will probably say, "pass" - at least until Brian Quick pans out, but what are fans thoughts on seeking late round upgrades at WR? Raw or ready, the Rams need someone that can beat players like Brandon Gibson and Austin Pettis out of their job.

Stay random Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom - Wednesday Links

tyler bishop — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:35:33 -0000

The Rams find themselves in another definitive off-season. It is imperative for them to get each staff hire right, and have another successful free-agency period and draft. The NFC West has become a defensive arms race. To keep Seattle, Arizona, and San Fransisco at bay, the Rams will obviously need to improve their offense. But, the most crucial element may be continuing to improve their defense. By showcasing a top NFL pash-rush, the Rams will be able to establish themselves as one of the big boys on the block.

Impressive players on offense and defense at the Senior Bowl:

Some of this years standouts could find themselves quickly on the Rams radar. Although I still feel it is highly unlikely that Jeff Fisher breaks his pattern of never drafting an offensive lineman in the first round, a prospect like Eric Fisher could certainly force him to reconsider. More likely, Fisher's affinity for defensive backs will get the better of him. The question becomes who is the top safety in the class. The Scouts seems to be torn on the leader of the class.

Would Kyle Long fit with the Rams?

Kyle Long seems to be impressing a lot of scouts with his natural ability and understanding of the game. However, he still lacks experience, and will likely have to play guard at the NFL level. From what he's done at the Senior Bowl so far, it's unlikely he will fall too far in the draft.

A players perspective on Rob Ryan's exit from the Cowboys:

It looks as though Rob Ryan will be the Rams new defensive coordinator. His track record is murky, and frankly if that's how I judged the hire, I would be disappointed. However, I think this is a perfect fit for Ryan - who has never walked into a good situation on defense. His strengths play to the strengths of the Rams personnel. He will help get the best out of the players on the team, and his intensity will build upon the swagger the defensive squad developed last year.

Micah Hyde on Rams radar?

The Rams apparently interviewed Micah Hyde this past week (as I'm sure they will hundreds of others). Hyde projects as safety at the next level, although I'd say he's a hybrid candidate. We know the Rams need help at safety. Craig Dahl's position is described by coaches and teammates as a "shepherd over the flock". Could Hyde make a good shepherd? Sounds like an important position to fill. The Rams are likely not done fielding interviews for the for role.

What are your thoughts on the inevitable hire of Rob Ryan? How will his presence effect the Rams free-agency period and draft? Happy Wednesday.

Senior Bowl 2013 Spotlight: Eric Fisher

tyler bishop — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:46:31 -0000

Eric Fisher was a dominate offensive tackle at Central Michigan. However, coming into the NFL from a competitive, but second-tier team like Central Michigan there were questions about his true ability at the pro level. Those questions appear to have been quickly answered at the Senior Bowl. Below are some of the comments as of this morning.

Eric Fisher dominant. Great foot movement relentless under the pads. Just took Okafor for a ride
— Shane P. Hallam (@ShanePHallam) January 22, 2013

Really have to like what see from Eric Fisher/CMU. Don't be surprised if people talk top 15 soon.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) January 22, 2013

Big story out of @seniorbowl N. prak: Eric Fisher so dominant in 1on1s, some now project him ahead of Luke Joeckel @big_fish79 @nflnetwork
— Rebecca Haarlow (@RebeccaHaarlow) January 22, 2013

Unfortunately, if Fisher goes in the top 10, he will be out of the Rams reach. There is little doubt that the St. Louis Rams need help on the offensive line, but even if Fisher was available there is another Fisher that comes into play.

Jeff Fisher has yet to take an offensive lineman in the first round in all his years as a head coach. It's not a coincidence. Jeff Fisher believes he can find the talent necessary to play these positions in the later rounds of the draft. But you have to wonder if a talent like Eric Fisher fell into his lap at pick 16 if he would pull the trigger. Based on the comments above, you would certainly hope he would consider it. If nothing else, maybe Sam Bradford could petition Jeff Fisher on his own behalf to bring him on board.

What do you think? Do the Rams have a shot at Eric Fisher, and if so, would Jeff Fisher actually pull the trigger?

A Tall List Of Prospects

tyler bishop — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:56:02 -0000

General manager of the New York Giants, Jerry Reese, has long subscribed to the idea that you can never have too many long,athletic pass rushers filling the front of your defense. In 2004, he found a kindred spirit in defensive line coach Mike Waufle. In the successful time that the two were together they amassed a fortune of young, fast, and tall defensive line talent. This concept was something that Waufle took with him when he left for Oakland in 2009. All of sudden, Oakland too had a surplus of tall athletic defensive linemen. Now, Mike Waufle has started all over again - this time in St. Louis.

It was obvious that Fisher brought Waufle in to improve the talent that already existed on the Rams defensive front, but he also knew that Waufle's style of building and running a defensive line would be imperative to repairing the Rams defense. So far, he has done a very good job. Fisher and Snead helped Waufle dig into his old bag of tricks by pursuing tall athletic talent for the defense in the form of Kendall Langford, Micheal Brockers, Jason Jones, Kellen Heard, Matt Conrath, and Mason Brodine. Ultimately, the Rams finished the season as one of the top pass rushing teams and a defense that was significantly improved up front from the year before. The strategy had worked again.

Why such an emphasis on tall, athletic lineman? Perhaps the answer seems self-explanatory. Why not, you may ask? Waufle and Fisher operated much of the season in a defensive front four that rotated most of the bookend depth players (Sims, Hayes) on the inside as well as the outside. Essentially in this defense, many of these 4-3 "ends" end up playing defensive tackle in the 4-3 alignment during passing downs. On these passing downs, the job of the tackle in a typical 4-3 is to shoot the gap (the space between offensive linemen). This is better suited for a quick athlete than a lumbering giant. However, a small athlete can become a liability if he is routed out of the play or taken advantage of on a draw. By having tall athletes with large frames, both of these liabilities can be minimized using leverage and technique. They can be taught to use their long arms to create separation from the guard and center allowing them to take up space, and yet still have space to make a play on the quarterback. That's why you see such an emphasis on tall athletic linemen in the Fisher/Waufle defense. As they always say in basketball, you can't teach height, and Waufle has a long history of taking raw natural size and ability, and coaching it to fit a specific role on his front.

With that in mind, I am of the opinion that this trend won't end. In every draft Jeff Fisher has ever been a part of as a head coach he has selected a defensive linemen in at least one round. I would bet that this streak will continue in 2013. So who are some of the tall athletic defensive lineman that are in this years draft class?

William Gholston: 6'7 280 - Michigan State

- A prototypical fit for the Waufle style of defensive line play

- Already has experience kicking-in on passing downs

- Is considered to have unrealized potential due to flashes of dominance

Dion Jordan: 6'7 250 - Oregon

- A fluid athlete that has the ability to add to his frame

- A quick prospect who plays faster than most offensive linemen

- A natural pass-rusher who keeps tackles at length with his wingspan

Ezekiel Ansah: 6'6 278 - BYU

- Powerful combination of size and athletic ability

- Compares to Justin Tuck on film

- Has experience playing OLB, DT, and DE

Datone Jones, 6'6 285 - UCLA

- An incredibly fast athlete for his size

- A player that can bull rush and get on the "edge" of the tackle

- A player that has a high upside if he can learn to use some of his innate talents better

Margus Hunt, 6'8 272 - SMU

- A gifted athlete that has the ability to develop into a strong NFL player

- Creates a powerful punch at the point of contact

- Is able to use his reach to effectively disrupt pass-blockers

Devin Taylor, 6'8 270 - South Carolina

- An immensely talented prospect who by all accounts has the ability to excel at the next level

- In need of coaching to improve technique and become more consistent

- Is able to physically dominate opponents when hand placement and timing is correct

So there you have it. Any big,tall, athletic prospects left out? I would keep an eye on all of these guys on draft day. I don't take much stock in draft position because it is all speculation (mostly bad). If any of these players catch the eye of Jeff Fisher and Les Snead I expect them to jump where they feel it's appropriate. That includes the first round, although many of these player could probably be had in the mid-rounds. In the meantime, fans can set their sights on a 2013 filled with QB pressures and Chris Long sack dances.

Random Ramsdom - Fresh Hot Links

tyler bishop — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:32:22 -0000

Les Snead recently spent some time talking about the pressure and opportunity of owning so much draft capital over the next 2 years. He discussed how bad draft picks can set franchises back, and how good draft selections can propel it forwards. It makes sense, right? Rams fans should know all of this first hand. So far, Snead's track record is pretty good; however, the draft is routinely called a "crap shoot" for a reason. Every year is different, and Snead and Fisher will be expected to to upgrade the teams talent once again this year.

East-West Shrine Game

A gaggle of NFL prospects are in Florida this week for the annual Shrine Game. SB Nation is on the scene and pumping out plenty of updates, so check it out and be sure to follow @AlfieBCC who is covering the event.

The next NFL receiver from Mount Union

Mount Union has seemingly began to churn out NFL wide receivers, as Jasper Collins tries to follow in the footsteps of Pierre Garcon and Cecil Shorts on his way to the NFL.

Mark your calendars:

For those that missed it, one of our writers put together a great calendar of upcoming off-season events. This is the kind of page that you bookmark.

5 Players the Rams should cut?

Tyson Langford provides an opinion on who he thinks the Rams should cut ties with this off-season, and there are a few surprises. The debate over Steven Jackson is an old one. It's easy to see both sides of the argument, and ultimately that usually means it will come down to the money. It's very hard to predict what will happen to Jackson, but some of the others is quite easy.

Craig Dahl is an easy target, and in fact if he's affordable he wouldn't be terrible to keep for special teams. But he doesn't meet the criteria for a young, athletic team. I think he will likely lose his job as a backup to a rookie or someone like Rodney Mcleod. Finally, I can see both Wayne Hunter and Harvey Dahl back in Rams uniforms next year. Perhaps both restructure some items on their contract. Either way, anytime you lose someone you must replace them, and contrary to popular belief the grass isn't always greener, especially when you're talking about depth.

Will the Rams be playing in Maryland Heights in a few years?

At this point it is hard to rule just about any St. Louis location out as potential home for the Rams. It seems that when appearing in public, Kevin Demoff has tipped off that he would like to see creative approaches utilized to find a new home for the Rams in St. Louis. To me, renovating the Edward Jones dome is not creative. Building a new stadium in a new location is creative. We will have to wait and see how this plays out over the next 12 months.

An interesting breakdown on the Rams 2012 draft:

Measuring the past is often the best way to predict the future. The Rams had a good draft by most accounts, but there are certainly some retrospective areas of debate.

Speaking of the draft, who are some underclassman sleepers to watch out for:

Sports Illustrated does a great job breaking down some of this years best underclassman talent. Are any of these guys a fit for the Rams? This is the second time I've heard someone compare Stepfan Jefferson to Alfred Morris, so he may be someone to watch.

Stay classy Rams fans.

Random Ramsdom: Wednesday Linktacular

tyler bishop — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:24:54 -0000

It's the beginning of the off-season - a time filled with poorly constructed mock-drafts and wild speculation. For the Rams, it's a time to finish the building project they started last spring.

Reviewing the Rams 2012 draft haul

Yes, the Rams a had a good draft in 2012. I think its pretty obvious. Not only that, but the Rams gave all of their draft picks unwavering support. Many started, and all of them played. Jeff Fisher has placed this team on the fast track to development. It will be interesting to see what happens to players that don't necessarily develop the way they are expected in their second year.

Micheal Ford a Ram

The Rams are mentioned as a team possibly interested in Micheal Ford as a late round pick. Ford is an interesting prospect. He has apparent talent, but is struggling to shine at LSU where good running backs are a dime a dozen. If Steven is back, Ford could be a 2nd-string potential power back. And if Steven is gone, he could compete with Terrance Gannaway for a chance to fill that power back role.

Fixing the Rams 3rd down offense

Unfortunately, I'm not sure the Rams need just their third down offense fixed. The Rams were poor on offense all the way around, but there are some good points in this article about play-calling.

Goodbye Rob Ryan

Honestly, somebody should sit Jerry Jones down and tell him that he is the single worst thing to happen to the Cowboys in the last 12 years. The Cowboys will never overcome his incompetence. However, other teams will certainly benefit from him dropping his best coaching asset, Rob Ryan.

Hello Rob Ryan???

Is Rob Ryan a good fit for the Rams? He does have some ties to Jeff Fisher, and certainly is an intriguing prospect. However, there are a few things that give me pause. Most recently he has run a 3-4 formation instead of the Rams preferred format, 4-3. Also, his system is different from what the Rams ran this year. Rob Ryan has run a 4-3 defense before, so he could potentially switch back. That means there wouldn't be an overhaul in personnel (although the Rams played elements of a 3-4 all year). But the system switch is still the thing that concerns me the most. Could Ryan come in without disturbing many elements of the Rams current defensive system that Jeff Fisher has claimed he wants to keep? We will see soon.

The Alabama O-Line

It's very likely the Rams could feature a premier member of this elite team following this years draft. It's debatable who the best player is on this line, but almost all of them carry a first round grade. No wonder Notre Dame couldn't control the line of scrimmage. If this group of players were to be together in the NFL in 5 years it could be equally as difficult for many NFL teams.

Can't Miss In the draft

The Rams know all too well how important it is that a losing team strike gold on their first round pick. By selecting a bust, you can set your team back years.

Tahj Boyd, a big draft key?

I previously predicted that 4-5 QB's would go in the first 15 picks of this years draft. This is especially true if Tahj Boyd is in the mix. His ability will be multiplied on a stage like the combine, and teams will rocket him up their draft boards. Remember RGIII wasn't the consensus #2 pick until after the combine. The draft process takes a while, and teams talk themselves into quarterbacks.

Thanks for being Random this morning. Stay classy.

Poll

Rob Ryan to the Rams?

Yes!

25 votes

No way!

77 votes

Possibly, I don't know?????

47 votes

149 votes | Poll has closed

Delicious Wednesday Links

tyler bishop — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:50:19 -0000

Peter King tells you why the Rams were the smartest team in 2012

This is a "must read" article. It tells you a lot of what you probably already know about the Rams this year, but does a great job of explaining why all your feelings are true. King does a great job breaking down the Rams organizational reconstruction, and shares some really great information on the plans Kroenke, Demoff, and Fisher had for the team heading into this season. He - along with several other great sports writers - have all fallen into the trap of mentioning that if the Rams don't turn Bradford into a winning QB there will be a large amount of criticism for not drafting RGIII. But he rebounds quickly and does a nice job outlining what the Rams truly got in return for the pick, and highlights the future possibility of those picks as well.

Are the Rams a Playoff team in 2013?

I think most fans probably have a justified expectation of a playoff season heading into next year. It would appear to be a ridiculous notion for a fan base that has seen some of the worst football in NFL history over the last decade, but with Jeff Fisher at the helm anything seems possible for the St. Louis Rams future.

Underrated offensive play-making draft prospects

The Rams need some pro-bowl caliber offensive players. The defense is filled with potential pro-bowlers, 1st round picks, and high profile free agents, but the offense is a much sadder bunch at the moment. None of the players mentioned in this article are too far off the radar, but none should go in the first round (although, Peterson has been mocked in the first in a few mock drafts). The Rams will have to do well adding impact-talent in the mid-late rounds of the draft again this year.

5 biggest needs for the St. Louis Rams

An article that sorta drops the ball in assessing what the Rams really need. There's no doubt the Rams need a safety and guard, but there is no mention of a tackle - instead they list defensive tackle as on of the top needs. In all sincerity, when you go with a "top 5 needs" column it should be pretty hard to exclude a necessity like a right tackle. 5 different areas of even a bad team can be addressed pretty comprehensively. Either way, it's interesting to read the perspectives surrounding why the Rams needs each of the positions listed. Form your own agreements or disagreements.

Crazy Random Things I Think That I Think

If Percy Harvin is available for trade this off-season Bill Belichick will be first in line. The evil hoodie wearing east coast devil sees just how effective someone like Harvin could be in the "Welker-role", and pushes Wes Welker out the door to bring Harvin in for one of the most successful receiving seasons in Patriot history.
With all the mock drafts coming out, most are not accounting for the gross amount of quarterbacks that will be overdrafted in picks 1-15. Last year Tannenhill and Weeden had no business in the first round, but to the teams that selected them they became "must-haves". If a team is losing and isn't viewed as having a top notch quarterback, the team is moving on whether its the quarterbacks fault or not. With the salary system in place it's much easier to take a chance in a round 1 QB than ever before. I think there will be 4 taken in the first 15 picks, and one of them may not even be on the radar yet. Teams need to provide hope to their fan-bases to sell tickets, and that starts with a new leader. This is usually a coach, QB, or both. There will be a lot of "both: this year.
The Rams will not select an offensive lineman in round 1. This might not seem crazy to some, but others are predicting that the Rams actually will select 2 O-lineman. Fisher has a long enough track record to clearly see trends, and one apparent trend is the lack of offensive linemen in the early rounds of the draft. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see the Rams select just about any position in the first round other than offensive line.

Rookies Make The Difference

tyler bishop — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 05:08:29 -0000

They say winning covers a many number of mistakes, and that certainly was the case Sunday. The Rams defense was able to create a lot of turnovers and high-impact plays that the St. Louis offense was able to capitalize on. NFL history would tell us that this is the formula for a strong win, and it was certainly the case for the Rams this week.

The Rams secondary deserves special recognition for their tremendous pass defense. The mistakes compounded for Josh Freeman, and it is because the coaching staff varied coverages and defensive looks throughout the game. The Rams players took full advantage of any confusion forcing 4 interceptions on the day, and a fair share of quarterback sacks. And for those that watched the game, I think we can all concede that Tampa Bay is very lucky that it was only 4interceptions. Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson deserve special recognition for spectacular contributions. Trumaine Johnson could have tripled his season interceptions today with a little added luck - but inevitably had to settle with only one - and Jenkins continues to make a strong case for Defensive Rookie of The Year with his 4th touchdown on the year.

James Laurinaitus finally appears to be finding his stride in this system. The opposing offenses can still catch him out of position at times, but his ability to analyze the play and account for the run and the pass effectively makes him an extremely valuable player for this team. Today he was able to display how well those talents are truly developing. He made some crucial stops against Martin that held him to a very modest offensive performance, and also was able to provide strong coverage support to the secondary. This dual-role capability allows this defense a lot of flexibility.

Lance Kendricks had the game of his life. When the Rams selected Kendricks in the second round of the 2011 draft, fans started dreaming of days like this for the Wisconsin product. Unfortunately, Kendricks has struggled against mediocrity in the receiving department for the better part of two years. He has established himself as one of the strongest and most versatile blocking tight ends in the league, but the added receiving element has been desperately missing in this offense. Lance Kendricks was a play-maker today. He was able to create yards after the catch, and had zero drops on the day. This type of production is much needed now and in the future.

Other players that contributed with strong game-changing performances included Chris Long, Robert Quinn, William Hayes, Micheal Brockers, and Chris Givens, but one unit that stood above the rest was the Rams offensive line! Oh, how fans have come to loathe the Rams dismal offensive line play over the last 3 years. In fact, Sam Bradford was informed that leading up to the Tampa Bay game he was on a streak of 30 straight games in which he had a sack recorded against him. Well, the streak ended Sunday. In fairness, Tampa Bay is not a good pass-rushing defense, but coach Paul Boudreau deserves for such great work with this unit all year. The offensive line helped Steven Jackson average over 4 yards a carry against the leagues best rush defense, and didn't allow a single sack against Sam Bradford. On some plays it felt like Bradford had days to throw, and I'm sure it was a welcome change for him. This group deserves the game ball for their performance on the day.

Overall the entire Rams team played very well. You could pick out almost any player (Craig Dahl excluded) and identify why they were a difference maker on Sunday, but ultimately the players highlighted above stood above the rest. Many may notice that the Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is no where to be found in this article. Bradford started the game off with a horribly cold performance but got red-hot towards the middle of the game. After Bradfords performance began to improve, the coaches stopped asking him to make big plays, and relied on a vanilla offensive strategy to trudge through the rest of the game. Everyone will ultimately have their own interpretations of his performance today based on their own view of Bradford. For me, he gets an incomplete grade (just like he does for the entire season). But on a day like Sunday, it was a strong enough performance to allow the rest of the Rams difference makers to take over the game and bring the team to .500 once again.

Who do you think the Rams top difference maker was?

Poll

Who was the top difference-maker for the Rams on Sunday?

Janoris Jenkins

188 votes

James Laurinaitus

22 votes

Trumaine Johnson

30 votes

The Offensive Line

67 votes

Same Bradford

16 votes

Chris Long

2 votes

Lance Kendricks

26 votes

Other

5 votes

356 votes | Poll has closed

Common Opponent Breakdown: STL @ TB

tyler bishop — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 14:52:04 -0000

This Buccaneers home game will serve as a contest of pride for both squads. Both teams are nearly statistically eliminated from the playoffs, and are young teams that are building for the future. The easiest thing to directly compare between these two teams is the young quarterbacks. Both Sam Bradford and Josh Freeman have experienced similar NFL journeys. They both broke onto the scene as hot rookies only to have their fires snuffed out by terrible team performances in years 2 or 3. Sam and Josh will be looking to quiet some critics this week, and when comparing shared opponents, it may surprise you which teams offense has been the bell of the ball.

Obviously there is some context to the above stats, but it's pretty amazing to think that the Rams offense outperformed the Bucaneerss offense in these shared games. The Buccaneers have ran hot and cold on offense all year, but in these two games they seemed to have subpar performances while the Rams had some of there best offensive output all season. Again - I get it - there is some context to these stats, but the numbers don't lie. And in this case, it's an interesting note that the Buccaneers showed better defense and special teams scoring while the Rams showed overall better offense. Most of us would probably flip-flop those for both teams when talking about comprehensive strengths and weaknesses.

If we judge this coming game on how well both teams have performed against shared opponents, it would be fair to say that this is a toss up. And that is precisely what it is. This game has also become a mystery to many, as it has been predicted by some to be a shootout, a field goal contest by others, and even another tie.

It will be interesting to see how both teams perform given their recent exits from true playoff contention. Tampa Bay seems to be imploding - but as the Rams learned earlier this year against the Bears - that doesn't mean anyone will be easy to beat. This will beat tough game for both teams, and inevitably I believe it will come down to coaching. I'll let you decide which team has the better staff.

Random Ramsdom: Time To Hit The Links

tyler bishop — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:05:15 -0000

After a horrible game against the Vikings we can handle the outcome one of two ways, according to Jeff Fisher. What he told his team was basically that they can see the loss for what it is - a horrible unspeakable 1st half of garbage followed by a ordinary 2nd half - or they can see this as a football team that has just won 3 of it's last 4. The Rams seem to be finally turning the corner, and putting their dismal past behind them. A strong end to the season may help carry over into 2013 (look at Arizona this year), so let's hope this habit of winning can stick.

Now on to the links!

Mike Sando Outlines the Rams Slim Playoff Hopes

It seems like a one-in-a-million scenario, and would likely be a belated Christmas miracle if it were to happen. Like I mentioned above, the best thing to hope for is that the Rams can continue there practices of winning games these last two weeks with the hopes that it will carry over into the 2013 season.

Are the Rams Serious Contenders In 2013?

This Rant Sports article makes the case that the Rams will be a breakout team in 2013. I try to hold back from this type of fanaticism this time of year. Next season is a long ways away, and it is difficult to predict these things even just days before the season begins. Also, let's not forget that Rams have been poised for a breakout since 2004.

The Vikings Grade Out Very Well Against the Rams

It should come to no surprise that the Vikings had one of their best games of the season last Sunday. Most of us could probably sense it was going to be a long day after the miraculous Christian Ponder break-away touchdown, and 82 yd Peterson run. There really wasn't an area the Vikings played poorly in, but the Rams certainly offered their help in this as well. Either way, the Vikings should be given credit for a great game all the way around.

Trouble For The Rams Next Opponent?

It appears that several Tampa Bay players are not very excited about playing for a former college coach. From the outside looking in, I see Schiano as a coach who thinks outside the box, and has done a pretty good job with the Buccaneers in his first year. But this is not a good sign. You usually don't see this kind of stuff in a coaches first year unless that coach is not long for the league, and I get the feeling that may be the case here. It could always be one bad apple on his way out the door that gave the quote, but isn't it more likely he is speaking for more than just himself.

More Rams Mocks

The Rams select a tackle and a wide receiver because they need both of those things. I really dislike all the serious mock-drafts this time of year. Let's be honest, the folks that really have a handle on who NFL teams will select still don't know because the NFL teams are still in the infancy of this process. When it's all said and done, there will be 4 or 5 quarterbacks gone in the first 15 picks, and half of the offensive lineman predicted to go in the top 10 will have dropped down into the late first round - that's my only prediction right now.

NFL News

It's Tebow Time!!!! ...... no wait.... no...... no it's not, never mind.

What were the Jets thinking? Seriously, I doubt anyone knows. I think Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum may have had grand delusions of recreating the Denver miracle last year with an improved 2012 version of Tebow, but quickly found out that it would be more difficult than they thought.

I love Tim Tebow, and I love watching him play football, but Here's why Tim Tebow isn't starting in New York and won't ever start anywhere again. He will win a lot, but will lose a lot too, and when they lose it will probably be all his fault. Finally, there will be nothing anyone else on the team can do about it. He is the NFL equivalent of an MLB knuckle-ball pitcher. He only has one style of play, and it can't be coached or improved. Think about it, what will coaches tell him after a hard loss in which his rushing is held in check and he only completes 7 passes - "tough game Tim, maybe try throwing better, and running a little harder"? Tim Tebow won't start in New York, because he might win some games, and if he wins they will be stuck bringing him back. That sounds good at first until they are deadlocked in a losing streak next year, and it is all Tebows fault. I wish him all the best, and would personally love to see him play, but I understand why he's not.

Is It Our Quarterback?

There is something magic that happens to quarterbacks that are on good football teams - they win games and look really good. Look at Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, and Phillip Rivers. All of these guys have been mentioned in the elite quarterback conversation at some point over the last 3 seasons. We can laugh and say, "well I didn't think that", but the truth is there was an argument that supported those statements. Those quarterbacks led their teams to playoff victories, so it was assumed they were very good. Now that the teams have collapsed around them, they are suddenly poor quarterbacks. It's been said before - but I'll say it again - quarterbacks get too much blame and too much credit. Consider our friend Sam Bradford in this scenario as well, I have a feeling he may change some minds as the Rams improve around him.

Just Random

If the world ends it's probably one of these 10 things that brings about our demise:
http://www.voxxi.com/top-doomsday-predictions-didnt-come-true/

To be honest, I'm surprised we haven't been overthrown by terminators yet:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/warning-over-armies-developing--terminator--style-killer-robots-19112012.html

Again, honestly I don't see a human future in which we are not overthrown by terminators (in this case, Chinese terminators)
http://www.examiner.com/article/china-is-bracing-for-a-futuristic-technological-war

Comparing Rams and Vikings

tyler bishop — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:32:49 -0000

To accurately compare the Vikings and Rams I decided to compare their first games vs. common opponents. I wanted to comprehensively see how well these two teams stacked up against the same caliber of opponent. While some of this information is not mind-blowing, it should be very encouraging to Rams fans.

With those opponents in mind, it was interesting to see how the Vikings performed against our NFC West rivals. The Vikings were the first team to beat the feisty 49ers earlier in the season, but the momentum they built off that win did not carry over to late in the season. The Vikings have lost 2 of their last 3, including a loss to Seattle. The Rams are obviously undefeated in the NFC West, but have not fared nearly as well in the NFC North - a place that the Vikings have secured a 3-2 record so far. So in the primary facets of the game - passing, rushing, points-allowed, and special teams - who has the advantage?

The numbers actually surprised me. Sam Bradford clearly makes me more comfortable than someone like Christian Ponder. The Rams have actually ran the ball more than the Vikings in these games. And finally, Greg Zuerlein - who was selected only a few picks before Blair Walsh in the draft - has outperformed Walsh against common opponents. So while there is no doubt this will be a difficult game, the numbers cleary favor the Rams - just slightly - in 3 of the 4 major areas on the game.

We all can find some comfort in the numbers, but the truth is the Rams will have to come through in the clutch this weekend as they essentially begin their playoffs on Sunday. They have the advantage of playing at home - where they have a winning record. Meanwhile, the Vikings have a very poor 2-5 road record. It will be an exciting game, and I'm sure the walls will be shaking in the Edwards Jones dome.

Poll

What phase of the Rams/Vikings game will have the most impact on this weeks outcome.

Rams Rushing

31 votes

Vikings Rushing

105 votes

Rams Passing

57 votes

Vikings Passing

16 votes

Rams Defense

205 votes

Vikings Defense

4 votes

Young "GZ"

14 votes

Blair Walsh

3 votes

435 votes | Poll has closed

Offense impossible

tyler bishop — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:57:50 -0000

The Rams rank 25th in total offense and 29th in scoring offense through 13 games this season, and it was grossly apparent on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The Rams were shut out in the first half of play by a defense - that while rich with talent - has been consistently ranked in the bottom third of the league all year (21st overall today). To put it bluntly, the Rams bad offense was worse than the Bills bad defense. So the question becomes, " why is the Rams offense so bad"?

Before I can even finish typing my last paragraph I can already hear someone screaming about how bad the offensive line is. And according to all the armchair draftniks, the St. Louis Rams must use every single draft pick on an offensive lineman. But is the offensive line really the primary problem? Football Outsiders graded the Rams offensive line 13th in run blocking and 22nd in passing blocking. The top half of the NFL in run blocking is pretty good, and 22nd in pass protection isn't great, but still doesn't account for the bottom feeding ranking in scoring offense. However, the Rams do rank 16th in rushing offense and 22nd in passing offense which does tell us that our offense yardage output does seem to correlate pretty adequately to our offensive line.

The same thing could be said across the board in the NFL. The offensive line grades in rushing and passing directly correlate to their ranking in offense. For example, the 49ers have the #1 graded run-blocking offense line, and rank #2 overall in rushing offense. Detroit ranks #4 among pass-protection grades, and currently has the NFL's top passing offense. So what does this mean? It means that the Rams do in fact need to upgrade their offensive line to improve their offense. There is no doubt coaching has played a role in the success that this group has experienced to this point. But, we can see a direct correlation in the Rams offensive production - and in the leagues offensive production - in relation to the offensive lines performance. So as much as coaching has helped, the Rams will need better players to truly improve this part of their game.

Unfortunately, I'm afraid the Rams woes do not end at the offensive line. Even though we can see a correlation between the rankings in passing and rushing output - and the grades Football Outsiders accredited the to Rams lineman - we still don't have an answer for being one of the worst 3 teams in scoring.

The Rams best graded receiver - according to Football Outsiders - is obviously Danny Amendola, but even Danny is only ranked 29th overall. The receiving core as a whole averages out to be one of the worst graded in the entire NFL. This ends up being a pretty nasty combo. In this case, you take an offensive line that is graded in the teens in rushing and early twenties in pass protection then pair it with one of the worst receiving corps in the league, and you have the formula for an ineffective passing game.Simply put, these two poor graded elements of the offense work against each other making the offense much worse than it would be if only one of these elements was poorly ranked.

For those waiting for the Bradford blame, here it is. As mentioned above, we have a deadly combination of bad receiving and bad protection. This is the formula for an ineffective and erratic passing attack, and unfortunately for the Rams, that's exactly what they have. Sam Bradford is actually doing his job very well. In fact, it's hard to pick out many mistakes that he personally makes play-to-play. He also grades out towards the middle of most QB rankings, but it's the fact that he can't take over a game that really hurts the Rams. At this point, it appears that Sam Bradford is only able to produce to the level around him (statistically). It will be interesting to see how this evolves the next few years as other pieces are upgraded.

Finally, I will leave the run game out of this conversation. The Rams rank pretty highly in rush offense in the NFL. We have been inside the top 10 at times during the season, and seem to understand this part of the game pretty well. However - as ESPN reminds us every 5 minutes - this is a passing league, and until the St. Louis Rams can get things squared away in the air they will continue to struggle.

It's up to Jeff Fisher, Les Snead, and most importantly Brian Schottenhiemer to play to the strengths of this team, and develop a more talented and effective group on offense for this young Rams team. That means running the ball, developing the young talent around Bradford, and bringing in upgrades to the offensive line and receiver position. It takes a lot of work to turn a bad offense around. As the Rams essentially begin their playoffs this week, it's more important than ever that the offense improve sooner rather than later. What do you think the Rams biggest offensive problem is, and can it be fixed this year?

Help my sad Twitter account, and follow me

Comparing Chris Givens and Mike Wallace

tyler bishop — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:16:36 -0000

Early this week, Greg Cosell compared wide receiver Chris Givens to Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace. This Turf Show Times reporter has been on this particular soapbox since early in the year. In this weeks video I wanted show exactly why these two receivers are so similar, and what a threat like Wallace or Givens could mean for the Rams future.

What We Learned In Week 13

tyler bishop — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:08:42 -0000

Following the Jets game, several things were obvious. This Rams team is young, and is still in need of talent on both sides of the ball. I start with this point because I don't want to gloss over the fact that this team has struggled at times this year, and I don't want to make it seem like the team has arrived just yet. The Rams are not a finished product, and in the New York game that was painfully evident.

The Rams are prepping for the future. They are developing young talent, and are committed to getting better. In week 13, we got to see a lot of these elements in action. So let's take a look at some of the transparent elements of the Rams week 13 win against the 49ers.

Chris Givens is an ascending talent at wide receiver. It wasn't just our imagination with Danny Amendola, Sam Bradford is incredibly accurate, and can consistently get the ball to his talented receivers. With both players healthy, this offense has a lot to look forward to. The question will have to be answered in the off-season - is Chris Givens the new Rams #1 receiver? If he's not, he can be a very good #2. In week 13, Chris Givens proved he can be a starting receiver in the NFL on a good football team.
Unfortunately, the same staff who've developed and progressed Chris Givens into a starting NFL receiver in just 13 weeks has also been developing Brian Quick. I'm afraid this speaks more poorly of Quick than the staff. Although Quick truly flashes talent, it's concerning that the game seems too big for him. Watching his routes yesterday, it's obvious that he was not giving full-effort at times, and this is probably the most concerning thing about him. He seems lost during the games. I hope he can develop into a Roddy White or Vincent Jackson-type player, but for every White and Jackson there is a Limas Sweed and Maurice Stovall too.
Trumaine Johnson, Janoris Jenkins, and Cortland Finnegan will terrorize the NFC West for years to come. The Rams hit on both picks at cornerback this year. "Tru" is still behind Jenkins in his development, but the staff knew what they had on draft day with Johnson. He is physical with above average instincts, and he's been able to learn from his mistakes quickly. The 49ers tried picking on him yesterday, and completed a dinky 5 receptions for 27 yards in his direction.
The Rams have a solid rotation on the defensive line. Robert Quinn was obviously not 100% this week. Quinn played in less than half of the defensive snaps - and when special teams really needed a blocked punt or kick - he was on the sidelines. Details were a little sketchy all week on his health, and hopefully he will bounce back for the close of the season. What the Rams d-line was able to do in his absence was very encouraging. Williams Hayes, Eugene Sims, Chris Long, Micheal Brockers, Jermele Cudjo, and Kendall Langford are a devastating rotation in the trenches. This group held Frank Gore to 2.5 yards a carry, and he has one of the best offensive lines in football. I would argue that all of the aforementioned players are likely part of this team's long term vision for success.
Sam Bradford is a good football player. I hate that we have to discuss the long term viability of Sam Bradford every week, but I thought this game did a nice job of summarizing why all judgements on him should be delayed until the future. Sam made plays for the Rams with his arm and legs Sunday. He led his team down the field in the clutch twice, and converted a game-saving 2-pt conversion. His receivers did him zero favors in this game, and were rarely able to generate separation against man-coverage. He had good protection, and didn't make a single poor decision with the ball. It's still too early to tell if he can be that cold-blooded QB who can take a team deep into the playoffs, but the Rams must upgrade his surrounding pieces in order for us to know for sure.

A trademark of young, ascending teams is their development as the season goes on. I predicted the Rams would get better as the season progressed, and this team appears poised to deliver better football in week 17 than in week 1. If that is the case, then this franchises fans can rest easy knowing that Jeff Fisher has truly began to turn the page on a horrid decade of football in St. Louis. Here's hoping.

The St. Louis Rams finally found a change of pace

tyler bishop — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:31:47 -0000

Heading into the 2012 draft, high on the Rams list of needs was a change of pace RB. The Rams thought they had found their man in Isaiah Pead. Little did they know, they would select their true change of pace back one day later in the 7th round.

Hard To Handicap Rams

tyler bishop — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:58:51 -0000

This year, when you show up to watch a Rams game you don't know what you're going to get. This team is like a crackerjack box. You don't know if you will find a diamond ring at the bottom, or just a couple of crusty popcorn kernels. You might have the pleasure of seeing a pass rushing, turnover hungry defense, or you could be forced to watch a defense that surrenders lots of first downs, gifts 10-yard cushions to opposing receivers, and seems all but lost when adjusting to in-game scenarios. In the case of the Rams week 12 game against the Arizona Cardinals fans got to watch both.

The lack of a true defensive coordinator has hurt the defense at times this year. There was an uproar on Twitter in the first half as the Rams cornerbacks gave the Arizona receivers easy catches underneath, allowing Ryan Lindley to look like Aaron Rodgers. Finally, the change was made to vary coverages and to create more inside pressure; this turned Ryan Lindley into Ryan Leaf. Unfortunately, these kind of changes have been missing the past few weeks. In the Rams unique situation you have to wonder who made the final call on the adjustments this week?

In 2010 the Rams drafted Sam Bradford with the hopes that the team could ride his coattails to success. This journey has been a little different than what the Rams and their fans probably expected. This year the Rams team has been exactly like Sam Bradford - hot and cold. This means impressive wins against divisional opponents, and a fair share of frustrating losses. The Rams have tied their fate to Sam Bradford, and the jury is still out on both of them.

Yes, this is a young Rams team, but many of their problems aren't the fault of young players. On Sunday, Quintin Mikells personal foul that lead to Arizona's first points were not a result of a young player. This is a football team that doesn't know how to win. Fortunately, that is the benefit of youth - they haven't learned to lose either. That is the bright light Rams fans are looking towards as the end of this season approaches.

Taking it all in - Bradford, the lack of a defense coordinator, and the teams youth - it's no wonder this is the hardest NFL team to handicap. The St. Louis Rams are desperately seeking consistency. This may be unachievable this year. All of the elements sited above won't change in the next few weeks, but as the offseason approaches it's those elements that Les Snead, Jeff Fisher, and Kevin Demoff will have to take into deep consideration. Who do you hire to be the defacto D-coordinator, how can we make the play of Bradford more consistent, and how do you compliment the youth on this team? Only time will tell.