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After rugged opening stretch, schedule lightens for Rams
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_82101b62-cfb6-5f01-a042-713e74cbedcd.html
When the Rams’ schedule came out last spring, the first five games appeared as menacing as a Clay Matthews blitz up the middle. (You know, just ask Nick Foles.)
Not only were four of those five contests against 2014 playoff teams — Seattle, Pittsburgh, Arizona, and Green Bay — but those are teams that figured to be among the top squads in their conference this season as well. As a topper, three of the five contests were on the road.
Well, to paraphrase former NFL coach Dennis Green, the schedule is what we thought it was. Maybe even tougher than expected.
Green Bay (5-0) is among a handful of unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL, and the Rams knocked Arizona (4-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten — in Arizona. Pittsburgh (3-2) hasn’t been the same without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but it had the league’s hottest offense when it arrived in St. Louis in Week 3 with a healthy Roethlisberger before he suffered a knee injury in the contest.
Seattle (2-3) is suffering from what appears to be a classic case of Super Bowl hangover. Even the fifth team in that opening quintet, Washington (2-3), is borderline respectable after being one of the league’s worst teams a year ago.
But it goes deeper than that. It’s justified to wonder about the Rams’ 32nd-ranked offense, but consider the fact that the Rams have faced the league’s fifth (Seattle), sixth (Washington), seventh (Green Bay), and ninth (Arizona) defenses in terms of total defense rankings.
The only exception, 18th-ranked Pittsburgh, has fallen out of the top 10 since Roethlisberger suffered his injury. The Steelers have struggled on offense with Michael Vick at quarterback, meaning their defense has been on the field a lot. And even with that, the Steelers still are among the league’s top 10 in scoring defense (tied for seventh).
On the other side of the ball, the Rams’ defense has faced two top 10 offenses and all five opponents are ranked in the top 15 in total offense. Pittsburgh, ranked 13th, undoubtedly would be in the top five with a healthy Roethlisberger.
So again, when the schedule came out about the best most observers expected was 2-3 over the first five games, which is exactly where the Rams are at as they complete their bye week.
With the exception of the first half against Washington, the Rams’ 13th-ranked defense has held up its end. It has kept the Rams in every contest, and shown flashes of dominance at times.
The young Rams offense was expected to struggle in the early going, and it has done just that. The Rams have had two productive games offensively (Seattle and Arizona), two awful games offensively (Washington and Pittsburgh) and one game (Green Bay) that was wrecked by turnovers and pass protection issues.
It all adds up to 2-3 — maybe a play or two away from 4-1 but also a play or two away from 1-4 or even 0-5.
“We can make the case that the record should be better than it is,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s where it is right now, and we have to focus on the next opponent.”
The next opponent, on Oct. 25 at the Edward Jones Dome, is Cleveland with a 2-3 record entering its game Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
After the opening five games in which Rams opponents currently have a combined record of 16-9, starting with the Browns the Rams’ next five opponents are a combined 8-16.
In fact, of the 11 remaining games on the Rams’ schedule only two contests are against teams that have winning records at this point — Cincinnati (5-0), on the road on Nov. 29, followed by a rematch at home against Arizona seven days later (Dec. 6).
Before the Rams broke for a long bye weekend Thursday afternoon, Fisher was asked about the schedule being lighter over the final two-thirds of the season and the possibilities that might present for his team. Suffice to say he wanted no part of the question, swatting it away like Robert Quinn batting down a pass.
“Put the Cleveland tape on and watch them play against Baltimore,” Fisher said. “None of that matters. It’s a week-to-week thing. Josh (McCown, the Cleveland quarterback) played really good against a solid Baltimore defense and put numbers up. It was impressive. We’ve got our work cut out.”
Journeyman McCown threw for 457 yards against the Ravens last weekend, leading the Browns to a 33-30 overtime victory.
Of course, the tape also will show a Browns team that gave up 181 yards rushing and 5.8 yards per carry to Baltimore. It’s a Browns team that ranks 30th in the league in total defense and 31st in rushing defense.
Todd Gurley, that’s your cue.
So on paper, Fisher’s words of caution not withstanding, the Rams have a favorable schedule over the final 11 games. It’s a schedule littered with winnable games for a team that can play with consistency, focus, intensity, and discipline.
Actually, consistency, focus, intensity, and discipline are qualities that have eluded the Rams on a week-to-week basis since Fisher took over as their coach in 2012.
It’s something of which Rams veterans are well aware.
“I’m not a big fan of the whole ‘on-paper’ thing,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
It has led to many a sharp paper cut for the Rams over the years. The fact that nine of the Rams’ remaining 11 foes have .500 or worse records means nothing to Laurinaitis.
“I know how talented these teams are,” he said. “Quite frankly, the next one’s the only one that matters. So I’ll be studying Cleveland extensively just because I know what they’re capable of.”
He also knows how talented the 2015 Rams are, and what they’re capable of — more talented than any Rams team he’s been on since being drafted in 2009.
“Our roster on paper from top to bottom is by far the most talented team,” Laurinaitis said. “And I think that we’re playing well. It’s just one week at a time.
“Hopefully, you stack up some really good weeks, and at the end of the year you’re looking back and saying, ‘All right, let’s get in that dance. Let’s get in that tournament.’
“We’ve got a ways to go but the potential’s here.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_82101b62-cfb6-5f01-a042-713e74cbedcd.html
When the Rams’ schedule came out last spring, the first five games appeared as menacing as a Clay Matthews blitz up the middle. (You know, just ask Nick Foles.)
Not only were four of those five contests against 2014 playoff teams — Seattle, Pittsburgh, Arizona, and Green Bay — but those are teams that figured to be among the top squads in their conference this season as well. As a topper, three of the five contests were on the road.
Well, to paraphrase former NFL coach Dennis Green, the schedule is what we thought it was. Maybe even tougher than expected.
Green Bay (5-0) is among a handful of unbeaten teams remaining in the NFL, and the Rams knocked Arizona (4-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten — in Arizona. Pittsburgh (3-2) hasn’t been the same without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but it had the league’s hottest offense when it arrived in St. Louis in Week 3 with a healthy Roethlisberger before he suffered a knee injury in the contest.
Seattle (2-3) is suffering from what appears to be a classic case of Super Bowl hangover. Even the fifth team in that opening quintet, Washington (2-3), is borderline respectable after being one of the league’s worst teams a year ago.
But it goes deeper than that. It’s justified to wonder about the Rams’ 32nd-ranked offense, but consider the fact that the Rams have faced the league’s fifth (Seattle), sixth (Washington), seventh (Green Bay), and ninth (Arizona) defenses in terms of total defense rankings.
The only exception, 18th-ranked Pittsburgh, has fallen out of the top 10 since Roethlisberger suffered his injury. The Steelers have struggled on offense with Michael Vick at quarterback, meaning their defense has been on the field a lot. And even with that, the Steelers still are among the league’s top 10 in scoring defense (tied for seventh).
On the other side of the ball, the Rams’ defense has faced two top 10 offenses and all five opponents are ranked in the top 15 in total offense. Pittsburgh, ranked 13th, undoubtedly would be in the top five with a healthy Roethlisberger.
So again, when the schedule came out about the best most observers expected was 2-3 over the first five games, which is exactly where the Rams are at as they complete their bye week.
With the exception of the first half against Washington, the Rams’ 13th-ranked defense has held up its end. It has kept the Rams in every contest, and shown flashes of dominance at times.
The young Rams offense was expected to struggle in the early going, and it has done just that. The Rams have had two productive games offensively (Seattle and Arizona), two awful games offensively (Washington and Pittsburgh) and one game (Green Bay) that was wrecked by turnovers and pass protection issues.
It all adds up to 2-3 — maybe a play or two away from 4-1 but also a play or two away from 1-4 or even 0-5.
“We can make the case that the record should be better than it is,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “It’s where it is right now, and we have to focus on the next opponent.”
The next opponent, on Oct. 25 at the Edward Jones Dome, is Cleveland with a 2-3 record entering its game Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
After the opening five games in which Rams opponents currently have a combined record of 16-9, starting with the Browns the Rams’ next five opponents are a combined 8-16.
In fact, of the 11 remaining games on the Rams’ schedule only two contests are against teams that have winning records at this point — Cincinnati (5-0), on the road on Nov. 29, followed by a rematch at home against Arizona seven days later (Dec. 6).
Before the Rams broke for a long bye weekend Thursday afternoon, Fisher was asked about the schedule being lighter over the final two-thirds of the season and the possibilities that might present for his team. Suffice to say he wanted no part of the question, swatting it away like Robert Quinn batting down a pass.
“Put the Cleveland tape on and watch them play against Baltimore,” Fisher said. “None of that matters. It’s a week-to-week thing. Josh (McCown, the Cleveland quarterback) played really good against a solid Baltimore defense and put numbers up. It was impressive. We’ve got our work cut out.”
Journeyman McCown threw for 457 yards against the Ravens last weekend, leading the Browns to a 33-30 overtime victory.
Of course, the tape also will show a Browns team that gave up 181 yards rushing and 5.8 yards per carry to Baltimore. It’s a Browns team that ranks 30th in the league in total defense and 31st in rushing defense.
Todd Gurley, that’s your cue.
So on paper, Fisher’s words of caution not withstanding, the Rams have a favorable schedule over the final 11 games. It’s a schedule littered with winnable games for a team that can play with consistency, focus, intensity, and discipline.
Actually, consistency, focus, intensity, and discipline are qualities that have eluded the Rams on a week-to-week basis since Fisher took over as their coach in 2012.
It’s something of which Rams veterans are well aware.
“I’m not a big fan of the whole ‘on-paper’ thing,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
It has led to many a sharp paper cut for the Rams over the years. The fact that nine of the Rams’ remaining 11 foes have .500 or worse records means nothing to Laurinaitis.
“I know how talented these teams are,” he said. “Quite frankly, the next one’s the only one that matters. So I’ll be studying Cleveland extensively just because I know what they’re capable of.”
He also knows how talented the 2015 Rams are, and what they’re capable of — more talented than any Rams team he’s been on since being drafted in 2009.
“Our roster on paper from top to bottom is by far the most talented team,” Laurinaitis said. “And I think that we’re playing well. It’s just one week at a time.
“Hopefully, you stack up some really good weeks, and at the end of the year you’re looking back and saying, ‘All right, let’s get in that dance. Let’s get in that tournament.’
“We’ve got a ways to go but the potential’s here.”
illowfight:
