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Eight benchmarks the St. Louis Rams need to hit to ensure success
By Ted Bryant
July 07, 2014
http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/a...s_rams_need_to_hit_to_ensure_success/16797799
With just about two weeks left before team activities resume with training camp, NFL fans (and writers) are just about out of the dreaded mid-summer vacuum of content regarding their favorite teams. Listicles abound, and HOT TAKES are at a peak, but this time of the year (in my opinion) is best-served for expectation setting.
It’s too early to tell what the 2014 Rams can be, as we’ve barely had a glimpse at the rookie class and haven’t had a good look at quarterback Sam Bradford and tackle Jake Long in their respective quests to return on time from rehabilitation. It’s also unclear which players will continue upon and improve in their development and which will inevitably suffer a regression.
However, individual performances aside, there are a few benchmarks we can input at even a stage this early that will likely be keys to the team’s success. Should the Rams come within the ballpark of the areas noted below, it will mean the team stayed healthy, their run-first system worked, and they very likely won a majority of their games.
However, as is the cliché, it all begins up front. The 2014 Rams are going to be successful if they:
Get 75 combined starts out of their top-rated offensive line.
The 75 total isn’t a perfect 16-game season from the entire starting five, which at this point projects to be (from left to right) Jake Long, Greg Robinson, Scott Wells, Rodger Saffold, and Joe Barksdale. In fact, it allows for a five-game cushion for small knocks picked up and fatigue issues that tend to take place throughout an NFL season. This will be an area to keep an eye on, as the team has been the victim of continuous injuries to the offensive line resulting in inconsistent levels of play. There is depth among the unit in free agent signing Davin Joseph and up-and-comers Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones, but keeping the team’s top front five intact is one of the keys to the season.
Give up fewer than 30 sacks.
Keeping Bradford upright and out of harm’s way will be crucial. When the season starts, the long-maligned signal caller will have been out of action since Week 7 of last season when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. While all signs are positive that he’ll be 100 percent by kickoff in Week 1, I’m sure we can all agree that it’s for the best to keep opposing pass rushers off of him just to be safe. The team, despite its rash of injuries last season, was among the league’s best units in allowed sacks. Their total of 36 was the 8th lowest in the league, but look for it to be an even greater emphasis as Bradford works his way back onto the field.
Have a running play percentage greater than 50 percent.
I wrote a piece dedicated specifically to this aspect of the Rams offense and how it compares to Seattle and San Francisco, so give it a look for the entire run down. Basically, the Seahawks and 49ers have established themselves as league powerhouses with a run-oriented attack that’s complimented by capable quarterbacks and reliable, play-making receivers. The Rams, following the emergence of running back Zac Stacy last season, look poised to follow suit. If, by season’s end, they’ve called more run plays than pass plays, it means their hard-nosed style was effective and the personnel they’ve acquired to implement it were able to make it go.
Gain 2,100 team rushing yards.
In the same regard, it’s reasonable to expect a run-first team to put up some pretty serious numbers on the ground. Last season, despite Stacy’s 250 rushing attempts in 12 games, the Rams were among the league’s bottom half in team yards gained. Backup Benny Cunningham proved effective in a slasher role, but despite Stacy’s success as the premiere back, the team will need even more out of its backfield if its system is to be effective. 2,100 combined yards seems about right. While that total would put them among the top 7-8 teams in the league, it remains to be seen whether Stacy, Cunningham, and rookie Tre Mason are up to the task.
Have two receivers break 700 yards receiving.
The offense looks likely to resume its run-heavy approach, but as we saw in 2013, it won’t mean anything without a complimentary passing attack. Outside of the acquisition of Kenny Britt, the Rams have opted to move forward with the same relatively abysmal receiving corps they employed 2013. There have been positive reviews so far in regards to improvements seen in OTAs, but that all has to be taken with a grain of salt. For the Rams offense to be successful in 2014, they probably won’t need the 1,000 yard, 10+ touchdown receiver that the team has lacked since the days of Torry Holt. If the offense goes full-on hard-nosed, they’ll just need the receivers to make the plays that go their way, which shouldn’t be a wild amount. If the Rams can get two receivers up over the 700-yard mark, it will mean the corps has done a decent job in supporting the run game.
Get those penalties below 100.
Last season, the Rams were the second-most penalized team in the league last season behind the Seahawks. Penalties are OK (to an extent) if you’ve got the talent to overcome them, but the Rams showed that they were not up to that level in their flag-ridden 2013 campaign. Special teams were the early culprit, negating big plays from then-rookie Tavon Austin on multiple occasions, but the team as a whole can’t escape blame. This one should be pretty obvious: limit flags in 2014 and don’t give the opponent free yards. Football 101.
Force 15 fumbles.
It’s a five-fumble jump from their 2013 total, but this defense looks even stronger talent-wise and figures to be more aggressive with new coordinator Gregg Williams at the helm. The unit figures to hit hard in 2014, and if they aren’t creating turnovers on the reg then something is obviously off. They’ll want to rely on this part of their game, which looks to be their strength, in order to offset what looks to be a very young and inexperienced secondary, specifically at safety. They’ll want to put the ball back into the hands of the team’s stable of running backs as early and as often as possible.
Rack up 60 sacks.
Because we all want to see how far this defensive line can go. I wanted to push the number all the way up to 70, but this is an exercise of expectation setting and I’m trying not to be too unreasonable. However, 60 sacks should be well within reach for a unit that looks to be one of the best in the league. Defensive end and PFWA Defensive Player of the Year Robert Quinn is coming off his strongest season as a pro and will resume his role on the bookend with the stout Chris Long. Add in the developing game of tackle Michael Brockers, the tenacity of interior pass rusher Aaron Donald, and a bevy of depth, and this front seven looks like one to be reckoned with.
By Ted Bryant
July 07, 2014
http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/a...s_rams_need_to_hit_to_ensure_success/16797799
With just about two weeks left before team activities resume with training camp, NFL fans (and writers) are just about out of the dreaded mid-summer vacuum of content regarding their favorite teams. Listicles abound, and HOT TAKES are at a peak, but this time of the year (in my opinion) is best-served for expectation setting.
It’s too early to tell what the 2014 Rams can be, as we’ve barely had a glimpse at the rookie class and haven’t had a good look at quarterback Sam Bradford and tackle Jake Long in their respective quests to return on time from rehabilitation. It’s also unclear which players will continue upon and improve in their development and which will inevitably suffer a regression.
However, individual performances aside, there are a few benchmarks we can input at even a stage this early that will likely be keys to the team’s success. Should the Rams come within the ballpark of the areas noted below, it will mean the team stayed healthy, their run-first system worked, and they very likely won a majority of their games.
However, as is the cliché, it all begins up front. The 2014 Rams are going to be successful if they:
Get 75 combined starts out of their top-rated offensive line.
The 75 total isn’t a perfect 16-game season from the entire starting five, which at this point projects to be (from left to right) Jake Long, Greg Robinson, Scott Wells, Rodger Saffold, and Joe Barksdale. In fact, it allows for a five-game cushion for small knocks picked up and fatigue issues that tend to take place throughout an NFL season. This will be an area to keep an eye on, as the team has been the victim of continuous injuries to the offensive line resulting in inconsistent levels of play. There is depth among the unit in free agent signing Davin Joseph and up-and-comers Tim Barnes and Barrett Jones, but keeping the team’s top front five intact is one of the keys to the season.
Give up fewer than 30 sacks.
Keeping Bradford upright and out of harm’s way will be crucial. When the season starts, the long-maligned signal caller will have been out of action since Week 7 of last season when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. While all signs are positive that he’ll be 100 percent by kickoff in Week 1, I’m sure we can all agree that it’s for the best to keep opposing pass rushers off of him just to be safe. The team, despite its rash of injuries last season, was among the league’s best units in allowed sacks. Their total of 36 was the 8th lowest in the league, but look for it to be an even greater emphasis as Bradford works his way back onto the field.
Have a running play percentage greater than 50 percent.
I wrote a piece dedicated specifically to this aspect of the Rams offense and how it compares to Seattle and San Francisco, so give it a look for the entire run down. Basically, the Seahawks and 49ers have established themselves as league powerhouses with a run-oriented attack that’s complimented by capable quarterbacks and reliable, play-making receivers. The Rams, following the emergence of running back Zac Stacy last season, look poised to follow suit. If, by season’s end, they’ve called more run plays than pass plays, it means their hard-nosed style was effective and the personnel they’ve acquired to implement it were able to make it go.
Gain 2,100 team rushing yards.
In the same regard, it’s reasonable to expect a run-first team to put up some pretty serious numbers on the ground. Last season, despite Stacy’s 250 rushing attempts in 12 games, the Rams were among the league’s bottom half in team yards gained. Backup Benny Cunningham proved effective in a slasher role, but despite Stacy’s success as the premiere back, the team will need even more out of its backfield if its system is to be effective. 2,100 combined yards seems about right. While that total would put them among the top 7-8 teams in the league, it remains to be seen whether Stacy, Cunningham, and rookie Tre Mason are up to the task.
Have two receivers break 700 yards receiving.
The offense looks likely to resume its run-heavy approach, but as we saw in 2013, it won’t mean anything without a complimentary passing attack. Outside of the acquisition of Kenny Britt, the Rams have opted to move forward with the same relatively abysmal receiving corps they employed 2013. There have been positive reviews so far in regards to improvements seen in OTAs, but that all has to be taken with a grain of salt. For the Rams offense to be successful in 2014, they probably won’t need the 1,000 yard, 10+ touchdown receiver that the team has lacked since the days of Torry Holt. If the offense goes full-on hard-nosed, they’ll just need the receivers to make the plays that go their way, which shouldn’t be a wild amount. If the Rams can get two receivers up over the 700-yard mark, it will mean the corps has done a decent job in supporting the run game.
Get those penalties below 100.
Last season, the Rams were the second-most penalized team in the league last season behind the Seahawks. Penalties are OK (to an extent) if you’ve got the talent to overcome them, but the Rams showed that they were not up to that level in their flag-ridden 2013 campaign. Special teams were the early culprit, negating big plays from then-rookie Tavon Austin on multiple occasions, but the team as a whole can’t escape blame. This one should be pretty obvious: limit flags in 2014 and don’t give the opponent free yards. Football 101.
Force 15 fumbles.
It’s a five-fumble jump from their 2013 total, but this defense looks even stronger talent-wise and figures to be more aggressive with new coordinator Gregg Williams at the helm. The unit figures to hit hard in 2014, and if they aren’t creating turnovers on the reg then something is obviously off. They’ll want to rely on this part of their game, which looks to be their strength, in order to offset what looks to be a very young and inexperienced secondary, specifically at safety. They’ll want to put the ball back into the hands of the team’s stable of running backs as early and as often as possible.
Rack up 60 sacks.
Because we all want to see how far this defensive line can go. I wanted to push the number all the way up to 70, but this is an exercise of expectation setting and I’m trying not to be too unreasonable. However, 60 sacks should be well within reach for a unit that looks to be one of the best in the league. Defensive end and PFWA Defensive Player of the Year Robert Quinn is coming off his strongest season as a pro and will resume his role on the bookend with the stout Chris Long. Add in the developing game of tackle Michael Brockers, the tenacity of interior pass rusher Aaron Donald, and a bevy of depth, and this front seven looks like one to be reckoned with.
